Al-Sharaa calls for al-Assad’s extradition to Damascus
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Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa said all individuals wanted by the current Syrian authorities, including former President Bashar Assad, should be extradited to Damascus.
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Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks in Damascus, Syria on November 9, 2019. (SANA via AP)
Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa has called for the extradition of all individuals "wanted by the current Syrian authorities," including ousted President Bashar Assad, emphasizing that justice must be served as the country moves through a critical phase of political transition.
Speaking to Fox News, Al-Sharaa said the matter was raised during recent negotiations and remains a key demand of the Syrian transitional government.
"So one of the parts of the negotiations that took place with Syria is that those who are wanted should be surrendered to Syria, including Bashar al-Assad. The Russians have a different opinion. However, justice must prevail," Al-Sharaa said on Monday.
Al-Sharaa underscored the importance of "legal accountability" for former officials, highlighting ongoing tensions between Damascus and Moscow.
Al-Sharaa says past ties to HTS 'matter of the past'
During the interview with Fox News, al-Sharaa was questioned regarding whether or not Trump discussed with him his "past affiliation with al-Qaeda terrorism.""
I think this is a matter of the past," the interim president responded.
"We did not discuss this actively. We talked about the president and the future. We talked about the investment opportunities in the future in Syria, and that Syria is no longer looked at as a security threat. It is now looked at as a geopolitical ally," he continued.
The US Treasury Department announced Friday that al-Sharaa, interim Interior Minister Anas Khattab were removed from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist sanctions list.
The State Department also released a statement citing work on countering narcotics, eliminating chemical weapons, and promoting regional security, which read, "These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of (former President) Bashar al-Assad."
According to a notice by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the names of both officials, along with several aliases used for al-Sharaa, were delisted following official procedures.
Britain also followed suit and lifted sanctions previously placed on al-Sharaa and Khattab on Friday.
The decision followed the UN Security Council's adoption of a resolution to also lift sanctions on both Syrian officials, signaling a notable shift in the international approach toward Syria’s transitional authorities.
