Syria’s foreign and defence ministers, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Bouthayna Shaaban, visited Riyadh in a historic trip abroad just over a month after taking power. They met with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to discuss ways to support Syria’s political transition.
The visit comes as Islamist rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), aim to reassure Arab countries and the international community that they will govern on behalf of all Syrians. HTS was previously affiliated with al-Qaeda before breaking ties in 2016.
Saudi Arabia had previously backed the rebels who fought against President Bashar al-Assad at the start of the Syrian civil war. However, Riyadh has since normalised ties with the Assad government to reduce Iranian influence and curb the flow of illicit drugs.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-ministers-visit-riyadh-first-trip-abroad-after-assads-fall-2025-01-02