President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday lifting sanctions on Syria, the latest step in warming relations between Trump and Syria&#8217;s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The executive order, Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions, will terminate various sanctions programs on Syria and the national emergency with respect to Syria, beginning on January 1, according to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“These actions reflect the President’s vision of fostering a new relationship between the United States and a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors,” Rubio said in a statement. “U.S. sanctions will not be an impediment to Syria’s future.”
The announcement comes after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-lifting-syria-sanctions-could-transform-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met with Sharaa</a> — who toppled Syria&#8217;s anti-American dictator, Bashar al-Assad — during his visit to Gulf nations in May. After the meeting, Trump described the terrorist turned head of state as a “young attractive guy” with a “very strong past.” The meeting between Trump and Sharaa was the first meeting between an American president and a Syrian leader in 25 years.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said of Sharaa. “I spoke with [Turkish] President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
Al-Assad was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled by Sharaa</a> and his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, in December. Sharaa, who was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> on his head for almost a decade before it was lifted in 2024.
Rubio said he will also take “appropriate action” with regard to the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group, and review the Specially Designated Global Terrorist designations of the group and Sharaa.
Rubio will also reexamine Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, enacted in 1979.
“Today’s actions mark the beginning of a new chapter for the people of Syria as they work to shape a future that is safe, stable, and successful,” Rubio added.
The executive order also states that Rubio will determine if the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, signed by Trump in 2019, should be suspended. The act sanctioned the former Syrian government for war crimes and designated several Syrian industries, but includes a provision for the president to waive sanctions if certain conditions are met.
Sanctions will remain on Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, traffickers, people linked to Syria’s past proliferation activities, ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Iran and its terrorist proxies.
The executive order will also relax some restrictions on exports to Syria.
&#8220;This is in an effort to promote and support the country&#8217;s path to stability and peace,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday. “The order will remove sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on the former president Assad and his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates, and Iranian proxies.”
According to the order, “the United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and neighbors” and a “Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity.”
It adds that Syria has been transformed in the last six months since Sharaa’s government took over for Assad.
Sharaa has been accused of grave human rights violations and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly plans</a> to impose strict sharia law in the country. But since taking office, he has also sought to reinvent himself as a moderate force for a tolerant Syria.
He has repeatedly denied that he was a terrorist, including in a PBS interview where he said “it’s a political label that carries no truth or credibility.”
Sharaa has worked hard to grow relations with Trump since he took office, including signaling he would be willing to normalize relations with Israel, allow the United States to have access to Syrian oil and gas, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-tower-damascus-syria-seeks-charm-us-president-sanctions-relief-2025-05-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly stating</a> he wants a Trump Tower in Damascus.

Trump al-Sharaa

Trump Lifts Sanctions On Syria In Sweeping Policy Shift

Ahmed al-Sharaa

Donald Trump

Marco Rubio

Sanctions

State Department

Syria

At least 20 Christians were killed and 52 others were wounded on Sunday when a radical Islamic terrorist opened fire in an Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and then detonated an explosive vest, according to Syria&#8217;s interior ministry.
The terrorist, affiliated with ISIS, targeted Mar Elias Church in Dweila, on the outskirts of Damascus, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c307n9p43z9o">reported</a>. A person who witnessed the attack told AFP news agency that &#8220;someone entered carrying a weapon&#8221; and began firing at worshipers. A group of church members charged the attacker and &#8220;tried to stop him before he blew himself up,&#8221; the witness added.
Graphic footage of the aftermath of the bombing captured by the Syrian Civil Defence showed bloody bodies on the ground and rows of pews blown to pieces. Some local media reports said that children were among those killed in the terrorist attack, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suicide-bomber-syria-church-dweila/">CBS News</a>.
Issam Nasr, a man who was at the church during the attack, said that he saw people &#8220;blown to bits.&#8221;
&#8220;We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers,&#8221; Nasr said.
The bombing marks the first successful jihadist attack on a Christian church in Syria since Bashar al-Assad and his government were toppled by Islamic extremists in December, according to Reuters. The Islamic State was behind multiple other recent attacks on Christian churches in the country, but none were successful.
Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is part of a Sunni Islamist group that has ties to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly vowed to protect religious minorities in the country, but violence against Christians continues. There are over 500,000 Christians in Syria, and they are regularly the victims of government oppression and Islamic extremism, according to <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/syria/">Open Doors</a>, which ranks the country at 18th on the list of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

Deadly Blast Kills At Least 20 At Church In Damascus

Jihadist Suicide Bomber Kills 20, Wounds Dozens More At Orthodox Church

Bombings

Christians

Death

Persecution

Radical Islam

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Terrorism

President Donald Trump concluded his four-day Gulf tour on Friday after securing more than $2 trillion in investment agreements.
“In total, President Trump secured over $2 TRILLION in investment agreements with these three Middle Eastern nations — paving the way for a more safe and prosperous future,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1923344314735718669" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced on X</a>.
After four days of traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, where he was met with lavish ceremonies and generous hospitality, Trump is returning home to the United States, where he will meet his new grandson.
“Now it’s time to go back home,” Trump said in Abu Dhabi. “My daughter had a baby — I&#8217;m going to go back home and see that little baby.&#8221;
Here&#8217;s everything the president did on his Gulf tour.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in Abu Dhabi: &quot;It&#39;s been a tremendous time and now it&#39;s time to go back home. My daughter had a baby — I&#39;m going to go back home and see that little baby.&quot; ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/ATwbJQPiRp">pic.twitter.com/ATwbJQPiRp</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1923286897561948476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h3>Saudi Arabia</h3>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-to-kick-off-high-stakes-middle-east-trip?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Arrives+In+Saudi+Arabia+To+Kick+Off+High+Stakes+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kicked off his trip</a> Tuesday, landing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with a Saudi F-15 fighter jet escort, where he was greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After being escorted to the Saudi Royal Court with an escort of Arabian horses, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-secures-historic-investment-deal-from-saudi-arabia-on-first-day-of-middle-east-trip?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Secures+%E2%80%98Historic%E2%80%99+Investment+Deal+From+Saudi+Arabia+On+First+Day+Of+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump announced </a>that Saudi Arabia committed to investing $600 billion in the United States.
The investment will initially focus on deals that strengthen energy security, the defense industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals. Deals include Saudi company DataVolt investing $20 billion in AI data centers and energy infrastructure, and Shamekh IV Solutions, LLC set to invest $5.8 billion, including in a Michigan high-capacity IV fluid facility.
Other multinational companies, including Google, Oracle, Salesforce, and Uber, have committed to investing $80 billion in “cutting-edge transformative technologies” in both the United States and Saudi Arabia.
“President Trump is the dealmaker in chief, and he has once again secured a historic deal that strengthens America’s economic dominance and global influence,” the White House said in a statement, adding that the investment will build “economic ties that will endure for generations to come.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-calls-on-saudi-arabia-to-join-abraham-accords-my-fervent-hope?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Calls+On+Saudi+Arabia+To+Join+Abraham+Accords%3A+%E2%80%98My+Fervent+Hope%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP CALLS ON SAUDI ARABIA TO JOIN ABRAHAM ACCORDS: ‘MY FERVENT HOPE’</a>
Trump also announced the two countries signed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hours-into-middle-east-trip-trump-announces-largest-defense-sales-deal-in-u-s-history?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Hours+Into+Middle+East+Trip%2C+Trump+Announces+Largest+Defense+Sales+Deal+In+U.S.+History" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest defense sales agreement</a> in history, totaling $142 billion, providing Saudi Arabia with air force advancement and space capabilities, air and missile defense, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernization, and information and communication systems.
During a speech later that night, Trump urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.
<div id="attachment_919597" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-919597" class="size-large wp-image-919597" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-864x576.jpg" alt="Trump Saudi" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214859454-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
“It’s been an amazing thing, the Abraham Accords, and it’s my fervent hope, wish, and even my dream that Saudi Arabia — a place I have such respect for, especially over the last fairly short period of time, what you’ve been able to do — but will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump said.
During his first term, Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, a groundbreaking agreement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, that ended decades of formal hostilities. Shortly afterward, Sudan and Morocco also joined the agreement.
Trump has long sought to expand the agreement to include Saudi Arabia, but the ongoing war in Israel has complicated those efforts.
Trump also announced he would lift sanctions on Syria, arguing that removing penalties imposed on the former dictatorship would give the new leadership a chance — despite its leader’s terrorist history.
Trump said removing the sanctions would give Syria “a chance at greatness.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-lifting-syria-sanctions-could-transform-the-middle-east?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+Lifting+Syria+Sanctions+Could+Transform+The+Middle+East" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP LIFTING SYRIA SANCTIONS COULD TRANSFORM THE MIDDLE EAST</a>
The next day, Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whom he described as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
The meeting between Trump and Sharaa was the first meeting between an American president and a Syrian leader in 25 years.
<h3>Qatar</h3>
On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-welcomed-in-qatar-with-parade-of-camels-and-teslas-this-is-what-they-call-perfecto?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Welcomed+In+Qatar+With+Parade+Of+Camels+And+Teslas%3A+%E2%80%98This+Is+What+They+Call+Perfecto%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump arrived in Qatar</a> with a fighter jet escort, becoming the first American president to visit the oil-rich Gulf nation. He was greeted by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and escorted by Qatari police in <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922619883935637726" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tesla Cybertrucks</a> to the Amiri Diwan, where he received an elaborate reception featuring Qataris on horses and camels.
Trump thanked the Qataris for the warm greeting, saying that he appreciated the camels and hadn’t “seen camels like that in a long time.”
“That was some greeting. We appreciate it very much.”
Before arriving in Qatar, Trump faced controversy over reports that he is preparing to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 jumbo jet from the Qatari government, intended as a replacement for the aging 40-year-old Air Force One. The plane is reportedly set to be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation shortly before he leaves office. However, during his visit to Qatar, the jet deal took a backseat as Trump announced more massive economic agreements.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Qatar signed an agreement with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, alongside President Trump, to purchase 210 American-made Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines, according to the White House. The purchase is the largest 787 order in the American company’s history.
“It’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing, that’s pretty good,” Trump said.  “It’s over $200 billion… Congratulations to Boeing. Get those planes out there!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in Qatar: &quot;We&#39;re with you all the way.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/coZWPkOnau">pic.twitter.com/coZWPkOnau</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922656759765700981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Qatar also signed a letter of intent to purchase $2 billion worth of MQ-9B Reaper drones and $1 billion in counter-drone technology, becoming the first international customer for Raytheon’s Fixed Site–Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS), designed to neutralize small unmanned aircraft.
Letters of intent were also signed between Qatar and the United States to “further strengthen our security partnership,” the White House said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-1-2-trillion-economic-commitment-in-qatar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, outlining up to $38 billion in potential defense and security-related investments.
“The United States is in a very strong position militarily,” Trump said, sitting next to Al-Thani. “We have the best equipment anywhere in the world and you’re buying a lot of that equipment actually.”
According to Leavitt, the total agreements with Qatar will generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion.
Trump’s warm reception in Qatar stands in contrast to the president’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/qatar-doesnt-give-things-away-for-free" target="_blank" rel="noopener">June 2017 statements</a> on the country, in which he had accused the nation of backing terrorism.
<div id="attachment_920159" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-920159" class="size-large wp-image-920159" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214411835-864x576.jpg" alt="Trump and Qatari leader" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214411835-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214411835-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214411835-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214411835.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Qatar&#8217;s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Trump (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
“The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,” Trump said.
Qatar continues to fund terrorist groups, giving over $2 billion to the Hamas-run government in Gaza, according to the <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2023/12/19/10-things-to-know-about-hamas-and-qatar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foundation for Defense of Democracies</a>. For several years, Hamas also hosted the leadership of Hamas, though many left Qatar last year.
Before leaving Qatar, Trump visited American troops at the Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar — the largest American military facility in the Middle East. Delivering a speech to the troops who he called “tip of the spear” in the fight against the “enemies of civilization” Trump spoke about his Middle East goals and promised to give them a raise.
“You are without a doubt the greatest fighting force in the history of the world,” Trump said. “That’s the way it is. I said it last night. I said it’s strong. We have the strongest military in the world. It’s not even a contest. We have the best equipment, nobody has equipment like us, nobody has the planes or the missiles or anything else.”
<h3>United Arab Emirates</h3>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-welcomed-to-uae-with-fighter-jets-and-ceremonial-hair-dances-on-last-leg-of-gulf-tour?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Welcomed+To+UAE+With+Fighter+Jets+and+Ceremonial+Hair+Dances+On+Last+Leg+of+Gulf+Tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touched down</a> in the UAE on Thursday with his third fighter jet escort and was greeted by UAE leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, making him the second serving American president to visit the UAE, after former President George W. Bush in 2008.
Trump was welcomed with a ceremony that included dignitaries, music, an honor guard, and Emirati women doing a traditional dance with their hair.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The welcome ceremony in UAE continues! 🇺🇸🇦🇪 <a href="https://t.co/sXqS1IboMN">pic.twitter.com/sXqS1IboMN</a>
&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1922995639455044017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with Nahyan before announcing his third series of large economic deals.
The United States and the UAE agreed upon $200 billion in “transformative deals” including Boeing and GE Aerospace securing a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways for 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft and a $4 billion investment by Emirates Global Aluminum to build one of the first new American aluminum smelters in 45 years. Other deals announced relate to the energy, technology, and mineral sectors.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-hostage-edan-alexander-reunites-family?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=American+Hostage+Edan+Alexander+Reunites+With+Parents+After+584+Days+In+Hamas+Captivity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER REUNITES WITH PARENTS AFTER 584 DAYS IN HAMAS CAPTIVITY</a>
“President Trump’s historic visit to the United Arab Emirates is another opportunity to welcome new partnerships in frontier technologies, health and life sciences, mobility, entertainment, and many other fields,” the White House <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1923097611063513298" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
<div id="attachment_920615" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-920615" class="size-large wp-image-920615" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214578262-864x576.jpg" alt="Trump in Abu Dhabi" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214578262-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214578262-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214578262-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2214578262.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />The director-general of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Trump in Abu Dhabi. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
All of the deals announced were on top of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-secures-1-4-trillion-uae-investment-deal-for-american-industries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March $1.4 trillion commitment</a> from the UAE to invest in the sectors of American energy, manufacturing, and technology over the next decade.
During the visit, Trump also visited the interfaith Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which includes the St. Francis Church, the <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1923312209339318671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue</a>, and the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque.
Trump had a strong relationship with the UAE in his first term, most evident in the success of the Abraham Accords, which normalized the Gulf country’s relations with Israel and ushered in religious tolerance.
At the Abrahamic Family House, Trump signed its guest book with a message to the Emirati people.
“It&#8217;s just a message of unity when you look at what we&#8217;ve just seen — great unity, great faith, incredible people with a tremendous leader,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1923314106452382018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump said</a>, holding up the book.

UAE-US-DIPLOMACY-TRUMP

Deals And Diplomacy: Here’s Everything Trump Accomplished On His Gulf Tour

Abraham Accords

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday, marking the first time that top leaders from the two countries have met in more than two decades.
During the meeting, Trump pressed al-Sharaa to help the United States combat ISIS, remove all foreign terrorists from Syria, and normalize relations with Israel, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">al-Sharaa</a>, who overthrew former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December, reportedly spoke for about 33 minutes.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said of al-Sharaa. “I spoke with [Turkish] President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”
Trump also called al-Sharaa a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
The meeting came after Trump announced on Tuesday that he was dropping sanctions on Syria &#8220;in order to give them a chance at greatness.&#8221;
“In Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace. That’s what we want to see,” Trump said during a speech in Saudi Arabia.
Leavitt said that Trump was invited to meet with al-Sharaa by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the meeting by phone. It was the first meeting between an American and Syrian president in 25 years.
&#8220;President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi Arabia to encourage peace and prosperity in Syria,&#8221; Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1922567846317392240" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. &#8220;The Crown Prince also commended President Trump for his decision to lift the sanctions, calling it courageous. President Trump thanked President Erdogan and the Crown Prince for their friendship, and told President Al-Sharaa that he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country. President Trump encouraged President Al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people.&#8221;
Leavitt said Trump &#8220;urged&#8221; al-Sharaa to &#8220;sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel&#8221; and &#8220;assume responsibility for ISIS detention centers in Northeast Syria.&#8221;
The two also discussed their &#8220;shared interests&#8221; of countering terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons, according to Leavitt. Al-Sharaa, who has portrayed himself as a moderate, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/syrias-jihadist-president-calls-for-peace-as-his-forces-slaughter-political-and-ethnic-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously been tied to</a> various terrorist groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Al-Qaeda.
&#8220;President Al-Sharaa affirmed his commitment to the 1974 disengagement with Israel. President Al-Sharaa concluded with his hope that Syria would serve as a critical link in facilitating trade between east and west, and invited American companies to invest in Syrian oil and gas,&#8221; Leavitt said.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said during the meeting that Trump “affirmed that the administration in Washington is committed to playing a positive and constructive role during this sensitive period.”
Shortly after the meeting with al-Sharaa, Trump left for Qatar for the second stop of his Middle East trip.

Donald Trump – Ahmed al-Shara meeting in Riyadh

Trump Lauds Syrian President As ‘Attractive’ And ‘Tough’ After Vowing To Remove Sanctions

Executive

Global Politics

ISIS

Israel

Politics

Speaking from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, President Donald Trump issued a firm warning to foreign leaders: his priority is defending the United States of America, and he will do so using &#8220;overwhelming strength&#8221; and &#8220;devastating force&#8221; if necessary.
&#8220;In recent years, far too many American presidents have been afflicted with the notion that it&#8217;s our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use U.S. policy to dispense justice for their sins,&#8221; Trump said during the U.S.-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh. &#8220;They loved using our very powerful military. And now it&#8217;s really the most powerful it&#8217;s ever been &#8230; we&#8217;re getting the greatest missiles, the greatest weapons.&#8221;
Trump emphasized that the United States believes in peace through strength, arguing that &#8220;bad things could happen&#8221; if the United States was not powerful and in a position to defend itself.
&#8220;It is God&#8217;s job to sit in judgment, my job to defend America, and to promote the fundamental interests of stability, prosperity, and peace,&#8221; he said Tuesday. &#8220;That&#8217;s what I really want to do.&#8221;
Trump also announced plans to lift sanctions on Syria, sharing that he made the decision after he discussed the matter with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmampz0yb000a3b6r62d85ei0@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">“Syria, they’ve had their share of travesty, war, killing in many years,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That’s why my administration has already taken the first steps toward restoring normal relations between the United States and Syria for the first time in more than a decade.&#8221;
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmampz0yb000a3b6r62d85ei0@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Syria&#8217;s foreign minister in Turkey this week, Trump noted, sharing: “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really an important function — nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine.&#8221;
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmampz0yb000a3b6r62d85ei0@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">He added: &#8220;So I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;After discussing the situation in Syria with the Crown Prince and also with President Erdogan of Turkey&#8230; among others in the Middle East, I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria, in order to give them a chance at greatness.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/JG3gx3Nn6D">pic.twitter.com/JG3gx3Nn6D</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922327334863946039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmamq2wvn000c3b6rc8aqrbs2@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">During his remarks, the president outlined his vision for the future of the Middle East and how he seeks to create a more stable region and peaceful world. He contrasted the path taken by Gulf nations to the path taken by the Iranian regime, offering Iran a different path to a brighter future.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmamq2wvn000c3b6rc8aqrbs2@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">&#8220;I am here today not merely to condemn the past choices of Iran’s leaders, but to offer them a new and a better path toward a much more hopeful future,&#8221; Trump argued, adding, &#8220;As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be profound.&#8221;
The president also praised some Middle Eastern leaders and touted &#8220;the transformation that has occurred under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed&#8221; in Saudi Arabia, calling it &#8220;truly extraordinary.&#8221;
According to the White House, Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia for investments in the United States, including a defense partnership worth about $142 billion.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmamq2wvn000c3b6rc8aqrbs2@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">&#8220;If the responsible nations of this region seize this moment, put aside your differences and focus on the interests that unite you,&#8221; the president said, &#8220;then all of humanity will soon be amazed at what they will see right here in the geographic center of the world &#8230;  and the spiritual heart of its greatest faiths.&#8221;

SAUDI-US-DIPLOMACY-ECONOMY-FORUM

From The Middle East, Trump Vows To Defend America With ‘Devastating Force’

Iran

Middle East

On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Committee on Homeland Security advanced a number of bills to combat terrorism, strengthen security at the border, and counter the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts against America.
“I am proud of this Committee’s work to advance legislation that protects Americans from growing threats to our homeland and our way of life,” Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) stated. “For far too long, the CCP has tried to influence American higher education, target and harass dissidents on U.S. soil, and infiltrate our critical infrastructure and government networks. Today, this Committee stood up to China, advancing bills from Chairman Pfluger and Rep. Ogles to counter the real and growing threat they pose in our own backyard.”
“We also will not forget the serious threats sparked by the Biden-Harris administration’s historic border crisis. That’s why Committee Republicans advanced bills from Reps. [Marjorie Taylor] Greene and [Clay] Higgins to demand transparency on the number of Special Interest Aliens encountered at our borders and enhance efforts to detect deadly drugs like fentanyl at our land ports of entry,” he continued. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to swiftly pass these bills to increase transparency and give Custom (sic) and Border Protection (CBP) more enforcement tools.”
Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee Chairman Rep. August Pfluger’s (R-TX)  bill, H.R. 881, the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act,” would restrict DHS from funding American universities that host a Confucius Institute and require &#8220;certain disclosures related to Chinese entities of concern.&#8221;
Rep. Pfluger also introduced H.R. 2158, the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025,” which would establish a dedicated transnational repression working group with DHS, thus protecting Chinese and Iranian dissidents who voice criticism of their countries’ despotic governments.
Rep. Clay Higgins’ (R-LA) bill, H.R. 1569, the “CATCH Fentanyl Act,” would further empower CBP to test and evaluate new technologies for deployment at U.S. points of entry.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) bill, H.R. 275, the “Special Interest Alien Reporting Act of 2024,” would require DHS to publicly release information monthly on the number of special interest alien encounters.
Rep. Morgan Luttrell’s (R-TX) bill, H.R. 1327, the “Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, would ensure the Department of Homeland Security conducts an assessment of terrorist threats the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation to a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist organization.
Rep. Andy Ogles’ (R-TN) bill, H.R. 2659, the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act,” would target the escalating cybersecurity threats from the Chinese Communist Party and its state-sponsored cyber actors. oil.”

Republican Lawmakers Hold News Conference On Mayorkas Impeachment

House GOP Committee Advances Bills To Protect Homeland

China

Chinese Communist Party

Communist China

Congress

House Committee on Homeland Security

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the new Syrian regime that it would “pay a heavy price” if it allowed forces hostile to the Jewish state to enter Syria.
“If you allow forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and endanger Israel’s security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” Katz said following Israeli strikes on Syrian military infrastructure remaining from the Bashar Al-Assad regime. “Israel will not allow Syria to become a threat to its communities and security interests.” 
Katz, speaking to Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, said the strikes were a “warning for the future.”
“The IDF struck military capabilities that remained at the Syrian bases of Hama and T4, along with additional remaining military infrastructure sites in the area of Damascus in the past few hours,”  the IDF said in a Wednesday statement <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1907521357333819550">posted</a> to X. “The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to Israeli civilians.”
The Hama airport was almost entirely destroyed, according to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-848620">Syria’s Foreign Ministry.</a>
Syria condemned the attacks as an “unjustified escalation,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce92g5nk55eo">reported BBC</a>
Experts believe that Israel’s strikes were meant to convey a message to Turkey that Israel opposes it spreading its influence amid reports that Turkey was moving to put aircraft and air defenses at airbases in Syria.
In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4OXPx-LkiM">press conference</a> on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa&#8217;ar accused Turkey of trying to make Syria into a Turkish “protectorate.”
“They play a negative role in Syria, they play a negative role in Lebanon &#8230; They have aspirations all over the region and other regions of the world,” Sa’ar said. “They are doing their utmost to have Syria as a Turkish protectorate. It’s clear that this is their intention.”
Sa’ar added that just as Israel opposed Iranian influence in Syria during the previous regime, it opposed Turkey filling the void.
“We don’t think it was good when Syria was an Iranian proxy, and we don’t think that Syria should be a Turkish protectorate,” he said.
Israel has had troops stationed in a buffer zone in recent months to protect any hostile actors in Syria from attacking the Jewish state.
Israel, which has a sizable Druze community with many members who serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, also <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/">vowed to protect</a> the Syrian Druze from any harm and has shipped humanitarian aid to Druze villages.
Last month, a group of Israeli Christians <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-christians-call-for-world-leaders-to-protect-syrian-christians">gathered at Israel’s border</a> with Syria in the Golan Heights to demand that the European Union, Israel, and the United States protect Christians in Syria.

Netanyahu visits the peak of Hermon Mount in Syria

Israel Warns Syria Will ‘Pay A Heavy Price’ If Hostile Forces Are Allowed To Enter Country

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

World

A group of Christians gathered at Israel’s border with Syria in the Golan Heights over the weekend to demand that the European Union, Israel, and the United States protect Christians in Syria.
Shadi Khalloul, who helped organize the gathering, told The Daily Wire that he is concerned about his fellow Arameans Christians just across the border.
“We’ve heard stories of Christians in Syria killed by Jihadists or caught by Jihadists who tried to convert them to Islam by force,” Khalloul said. “One man preferred dying with his faith in Jesus Christ as his savior rather than submitting to Islam.”
Khalloul is part of Israel’s Christian Maronite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cant-fool-me-arab-israeli-slams-rashida-tlaib-for-lies-about-from-the-river-to-the-sea-chant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aramaic community</a>, which believes it descends from Christ’s earliest followers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We at ICAA Israeli Christian Aramaic Association NGO rallied today at the Golan Heights at the Syrian &#8211; Israeli border demanding for the defense and protection of Christian and Aramaic communities in Syria. We demand from the USA, EU, and Israel to help our persecuted Christian… <a href="https://t.co/OKG1OhyOOj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/OKG1OhyOOj</a>
— Shadi khalloul שאדי ח&#8217;לול (@shadikhalloul) <a href="https://twitter.com/shadikhalloul/status/1900945124097466422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
The World Council of Arameans <a href="https://wca-ngo.org/wca-news/press-releases/730-escalating-attacks-on-aramean-christians-in-syria-call-for-urgent-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Johnny Al Sayegh of Al Kharab was shot and killed by a sniper in a town on Syria&#8217;s coast on March 12. His fiancé, Rima Hadad, was severely injured and is in critical condition. Eyewitnesses allege the sniper belonged to Syria’s government security forces.
“The perpetrators must be visibly and swiftly brought to justice to ensure accountability and prevent further violence against Christians, Alawites, and other defenseless civilians,” the council wrote.
In another incident, the council said Elias Michel Asaad, who is also a Christian, was found dead last week after being kidnapped and robbed in Homs.
“His body was laid to rest in his home village of Al-Khansa, in the Valley of the Christians region of Homs Governorate.”
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were recently killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi.
In total, the World Council of Arameans claims at least a dozen unarmed Christians have been killed since the militants aligned with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/syrias-jihadist-president-calls-for-peace-as-his-forces-slaughter-political-and-ethnic-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brutally slaughtered</a> hundreds of Alawite minorities on Syria’s coastal areas earlier this month.
Al-Sharaa called for “national unity and domestic peace” after the attacks and launched a “fact-finding committee” to hold the attackers responsible. Syrian authorities blamed the executions on unruly militias who came to help the security forces who were attacked by militants aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
In addition to the murders, the World Council of Arameans says Christians have been looted and threatened since the clashes.
“Some of these Jihadis say it clear and loudly to Christians: that your turn will come after the Alawites,” Khalloul, who is the president and founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, said.
Khalloul said his group is demanding that the Christian and Aramaic communities in Syria be protected from persecution by Al-Sharaa and his aligned militants.
“We demand that the United States, European Union, and Israel help our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters across the border from the Islamic Jihadi regime,” Khaloul said. “We demand that other Christians in free societies help liberate Christian communities in Syria and Lebanon from Islamic Arab radicalism.”
“While here in Israel, we enjoy freedom to act, speak, and demonstrate, the Christians, on the other side, fear for their lives and are threatened to be ethnically cleansed,” Khalloul said. “We will always be a voice to protect our native Aramaic Christian communities in the Middle East.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Christian Israelis gathered at the Syrian border this weekend to call on the world to protect Christians in Syria.
Here’s a Christian Maronite Aramean praying for the safety of his brothers and sisters in Syria. <a href="https://t.co/LfrjjRvmOA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/LfrjjRvmOA</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1902380195782279632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
So far, Israel — which has a sizable Druze community with many members who serve in the Israeli Defense Forces — <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to protect</a> the Syrian Druze from any harm and has shipped humanitarian aid to Druze villages.
Khalloul said he believes there should be federal systems in both Syria and Lebanon that allow Christians and other minorities to have autonomy, rather than be under the rule of strong central governments that will oppress indigenous people such as the Druze, Alawites, Arameans, and Kurds.
By fighting to give Christians around the world autonomy, Khalloul said Europe and the United States can help forge a bridge for peace and moderation in a conflict-ridden region.
“Our Native Christian population has been facing persecution, oppression, Islamization and Arabization,” Khalloul said. “We ask to liberate the Christians and stop our people&#8217;s ethnic cleansing immediately.”
In a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-christian-israeli-who-mission-create-first-kassy-dillon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous interview</a> with The Daily Wire, Khalloul said it is his life mission to preserve his people’s culture while he was in a “Bible as English Literature” class at the University of Nevada. He said that during a class, the professor referred to Aramaic as a “dead” language, to which he responded that he and his family spoke Aramaic and that it was not dead. Since then, Khalloul returned to Israel and has worked to preserve the Aramaic culture and language.
In 2013, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a meeting he said later led to a 2014 measure that allowed Christians in Israel to register as “Aramean” on their identity card instead of as Arabs.
According to Khalloul, there are 15,000 Israeli Christians praying in Aramaic in Israel, and the majority of them belong to the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch.

9608c93b-1a77-4f6f-92a9-139cb412d62a

Israeli Christians Call For World Leaders To Protect Syrian Christians

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a major integration agreement with the leader of the Kurdish forces in Syria on Monday, set to take place by the end of the year.
The agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will ensure “the rights of all Syrians in representation and participation in the political process and all state institutions based on competence, regardless of their religious and ethnic backgrounds,” according to Shaara.
Under the agreement, Syria&#8217;s Kurdish community — primarily in the east — will be officially recognized as part of the state, and citizenship will be granted to tens of thousands previously denied by Assad, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/middleeast/kurdish-syria-sdf-deal-intl-latam/index.html">according</a> to CNN. The agreement safeguards Kurdish rights, overturning Assad&#8217;s restrictions that banned the Kurdish language in schools and prohibited Kurdish holidays.
Kurdish institutions in northeastern Syria will be integrated into the Syrian state, and displaced Kurds will be allowed to return to their homes under state protection, under the agreement. The Kurds also agreed to support the Syrian state in combating any remnants of Assad&#8217;s regime and other threats to its security, <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/100320251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported Kurdish outlet Rudaw</a>.
The agreement comes after militants aligned with Shaara committed brutal revenge killings on members of the Alawite minority — a Shia-offshoot aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — who attacked the new regime’s security forces at checkpoints last week. <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357483/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> the United Kingdom-based watchdog, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 973 civilians have been killed including women and children. An additional 300 members of government security forces and 148 Assad-aligned militants were reportedly killed in the clashes as well.
Shaara launched a “fact-finding committee” into the killings and called for “national unity and domestic peace” on Sunday during a speech broadcast from a mosque near his childhood neighborhood in Damascus.
Shaara has called for all armed factions, including the SDF, to integrate into the Syrian army after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled Assad</a> with his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December. Once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Shaara had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> for almost a decade before it was lifted in 2024.
The People’s Protection Units (YPG), a key U.S.-backed Kurdish faction in the SDF, requested that a special unit be created in the Syrian Army as a condition to joining, but Shaara rejected the demand, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/middleeast/kurdish-syria-sdf-deal-intl-latam/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN reported</a>.
Shaara signed the agreement with SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi, <a href="https://x.com/MazloumAbdi/status/1899218509319565416" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who called</a> the agreement on X “a real opportunity to build a new Syria that embraces all its components and ensures good neighborliness.”
Crowds reportedly took to the streets of major cities in Syria to applaud the deal.
Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Iraq, called the deal an “important and positive step toward strengthening coexistence and partnership in the new Syria,” <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/110320251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported Rudaw</a>.
“As always, I fully support the efforts of my brother, Mazloum Abdi, to promote peace and stability in the region,” Talabani added.
The leader of Iraq’s other major Kurdish political party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), called the agreement “historic” and “an important step toward shaping Syria’s future.”
Diliman Abdulkader, the founder of American Friends of Kurdistan, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization working to strengthen U.S.-Kurdish relations, said he disagrees with the deal, but realizes its political necessity.
“The Kurds remain to be kingmakers when it comes to the future of Syria,” Abdulkader posted to X. “Syria will not remain whole without their demands being part of the conversation and the fact that they must have a seat at the table.”
He added that the Kurds sacrificed more than 15,000 lives in the fight against ISIS and continue to be the jailers of ISIS terrorists.
“The Kurds have gone above and beyond despite their unfortunate circumstance,” he wrote.
Abdulkader said he believes the Kurds are hoping the deal will lead to decentralization and ensure that northeast Syria — where they govern — will remain a safe haven.
“So, let this agreement play out. Give it time,” he wrote.
Shaara has still yet to make a deal with the Druze minority community in the south of the country. Israel — which has a sizable Druze community — <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to protect</a> them from any harm.
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi. The outlet also reported that a Christian icon on Tartous was desecrated. The heads of Syria’s Christian Churches released <a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/patriarchs-of-syria-condemn-escalating-violence-call-for-peace-and-national-reconciliation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a joint statement</a> last week condemning the bloodshed and urging national reconciliation.

GlthGfHWEAAw-yY

Syria’s President Signs Agreement With Kurdish Leader Following Slaughter Of Minorities

Bashar Assad

Kurds

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for “national unity and domestic peace” after militants aligned with the president, brutally slaughtering hundreds of minorities on Syria&#8217;s coastal areas.
“We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace; we can live together,” Sharaa said on Sunday during a speech broadcast from a mosque near his childhood neighborhood in Damascus.
Al-Sharaa said that Syria has the &#8220;characteristics for survival” and what is “currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges.”
The Syrian leader also announced the launch of a “fact-finding committee” into the murders and said “anyone involved in civilian bloodshed” would be held accountable.
The fighting began on Thursday after members of the Alawite minority — a Shia-offshoot aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — launched attacks on the new regime’s security forces at checkpoints.
Assad was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled by al-Shaara</a> and his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December. Once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Shaara had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> for almost a decade before being lifted in 2024.
In retaliation, Sharaa-aligned fighters launched brutal revenge killings, some of which were recorded and posted online. <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357483/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> the United Kingdom-based watchdog, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), women and children were killed and residents of the predominantly Alawite neighborhood of al-Ramlah in the coastal city of Jabalah reported homes being burned and looted.
At least 745 Alawite civilians have been killed in the Syrian port cities of Latakia and Tartous, according to SOHR. An additional 300 members of government security forces and 148 Assad-aligned militants were reportedly killed in the clashes as well.
Syrian authorities blamed the executions on unruly militias who came to help the security forces, according to the Times of Israel. Syrian Kurdish armed groups blamed some of the executions of civilians on Turkish-backed Islamist factions, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-sharaa-says-developments-within-expected-challenges-clashes-continue-arab-2025-03-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters reported</a>.
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi. The outlet also reported that a Christian icon on Tartous was desecrated. The heads of Syria’s Christian Churches released <a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/patriarchs-of-syria-condemn-escalating-violence-call-for-peace-and-national-reconciliation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a joint statement</a> last week condemning the bloodshed and urging national reconciliation.
“Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted — scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people,” the Patriarchs said. “We strongly condemn any act that threatens civil peace and denounce the massacres targeting innocent civilians. These horrific acts stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values,” they stated.
Following al-Sharaa’s calls, fighting erupted again at Syria’s Banias gas power plant between Syria’s new security forces and “remnants of the former regime,&#8221; <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/9/syrias-president-calls-for-peace-calm-amid-brutal-clashes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the state-run Syrian news agency SANA. SOHR reported that Sharaa-allied gunmen stormed a town in the Baniyas countryside where they looted and set fire to homes.
Following the violence, the delivery of food and basic goods to the areas has been suspended, according to SOHR. SOHR <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357485/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also reported</a> that residents complained about interruption of electricity and drinking water and the suspension of work at bread bakeries.
The clashes have slowed following Syrian security forces surrounding an estimated 5,000 pro-Assad insurgents hiding in mountainous areas, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/syrian-leader-al-sharaa-calls-for-peace-as-country-sees-deadliest-violence-in-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the Times of Israel</a>.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the murders by “radical Islamic terrorists, including foreign jihadis” in a <a href="https://www.state.gov/the-escalation-of-fighting-and-civilian-deaths-in-syria/">statement</a> on Sunday.
“The United States stands with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families,” Rubio said. “Syria’s interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria’s minority communities accountable.”
The leader of a rebel pseudo-government in northwestern Syria, al-Shaara has been accused of grave human rights violations and has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/">reported plans</a> to impose strict sharia law in the country. But he’s also sought to reinvent himself as a moderate force for a tolerant Syria.
He has repeatedly denied that he was a terrorist, including in a PBS interview where he said “it’s a political label that carries no truth or credibility.”
While ruling Idlib province before taking all of Syria, al-Shaara tried to appeal to various minority communities, including the Druze and the Kurds. During a CNN interview, al-Shaara acknowledged that minority groups such as Christians have suffered from jihadist groups during the Syrian civil war, but said they will live safely under the new regime.
“There were some violations against [minorities] by certain individuals during periods of chaos, but we addressed these issues,” al-Jolani said. “No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them.”
Despite his promises to minorities, al-Shaara’s former ties to ISIS and prominent terrorists in the region known for persecuting minorities caused distrust, even before the recent clashes.

National Conference Talks Convene In Damascus

Syria’s Jihadist President Calls For Peace As Aligned Forces Slaughter Minorities

Islamic Jihad

Hundreds of people have reportedly been massacred in Syria over the last three days in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia by the forces from the jihadist government.
The AFP reported that more than 530 people had been confirmed killed, according to figures released by one monitor group on Saturday. Other estimates placed the number that had been killed lower, with the lowest number coming in at approximately 150.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> 532 Alawites killed by Syrian security forces, allies: new monitor toll <a href="https://t.co/nVkzEXR5jE">pic.twitter.com/nVkzEXR5jE</a>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1898406620192731600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz pinned the massacre on the country&#8217;s new leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group, which was an offshoot of Al-Qaeda and was close to ISIS.
&#8220;Al-Julani took off his [robe], put on a suit, and presented a moderate facade,&#8221; Katz wrote in a post on X that included a video of scores of people who had been massacred. &#8220;Now, he has removed the mask, revealing his true face: a jihadist terrorist from the Al-Qaeda school, committing atrocities against the Alawite civilian population.&#8221;
&#8220;Israel will defend itself against any threat from Syria,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We will remain in the security zones and Mount Hermon and protect the communities of the Golan and Galilee.&#8221;
Katz said that Israel would ensure that southern Syria remained demilitarized and that they will take military action against anyone who harms the local Druze population in the area.
Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said that the terrorist violence against the civilian population was &#8220;not just inevitable — it was a ticking time bomb.&#8221;
&#8220;The notion that the Syrian civil war ended with Assad’s fall was always an illusion — it has merely entered a new phase,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Iran still has ambitions in Syria and will do everything possible to keep the country in turmoil, ensuring an opportunity for their resurgence.&#8221;

Syrian Government Sends Reinforcements To Coast After Attacks By Assad Loyalists

Hundreds Of Civilians Massacred In Syria By Jihadist Government

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino released a video this week showing the United States military hunting down an Islamic terrorist overseas.
&#8220;In President Trump’s first week back in office he told the world that we were going to find the Jihadi terrorists that mean to do Americans harm and bring them ultimate Justice,&#8221; Scavino posted on X.
&#8220;In just the past week, under the leadership of our great Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, our warfighters have killed five more high value targets,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;The dead terrorists include two members of Al Qaeda in Syria, and three members of ISIS in Somalia.&#8221;
&#8220;If you’re a Jihadi who wants to hurt us, it doesn’t matter where you hide,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;America’s warriors will not stop hunting you—until they find you!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In President Trump’s first week back in office he told the world that we were going to find the Jihadi terrorists that mean to do Americans harm and bring them ultimate Justice. In just the past week, under the leadership of our great Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, our… <a href="https://t.co/fgfldUk2RK">pic.twitter.com/fgfldUk2RK</a>
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1895346179224822234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The video comes after the administration carried out a strike at the start of the month in Africa that resulted in the deaths of “many” terrorists.
“This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia,” Trump said in a statement. “These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies.”
“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians,” Trump continued. “Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!”
“The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!&#8217;” Trump concluded.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a statement that the strike was carried out in the Golis mountains in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.
“Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed,” the statement said. “This action further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump’s leadership.”

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