German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to work with Syrian opposition groups that took power in Damascus, focusing on human rights protection and minority safety. The decision was made during a phone call between the two leaders on Monday.
The move comes after rebel forces ousted dictator Bashar Assad’s government, ending 13 years of bloody civil war that claimed over half a million lives. Western countries are debating how to engage with the Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the US and UK have designated as a terrorist organization.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani previously affiliated with al Qaeda, but distanced himself from the group in 2016. Since then, he has sought to rebrand his group as more moderate, sparking debate on how Western capitals should interact with these rebels.
Source: https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-olaf-scholz-france-emmanuel-macron-syria-rebel-groups-human-rights-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-terrorism-designation