Syrian Transitional Government Foreign Minister Calls for Lifting US Sanctions in Qatar

As'ad Hasan al-Shaybani, the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Transitional Government, described the sanctions as an obstacle to the rapid reconstruction of the country and once again urged the United States to lift the sanctions on this war-torn nation. On Sunday, January 6, during a visit by a Syrian delegation to Qatar and after meeting with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, he told reporters that 'the people of Syria are waiting for services and cooperation from other countries while these sanctions will hinder and obstruct the rapid improvement and development of the Syrian people.' Al-Shaybani addressed Washington, stating that 'the aim of these sanctions was the Assad regime, but now the sanctions are against the people of Syria' and called on Washington to lift the sanctions. SANA, the official Syrian news agency, reported that the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Transitional Government, along with Marhaf Abu Khasra, the Minister of Defense, and Anas Khattab, the head of intelligence of the transitional government, traveled to Qatar for the first time since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime to discuss bilateral cooperation with senior officials of the country, including Mohammed Khalifi, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Following this meeting, Khalifi stated, 'Al-Shaybani presented a clear roadmap for the near future of Syria and the steps of the new government to the Qataris.' He emphasized that Qatar would cooperate with them to prevent any foreign interference in Syrian affairs. Two days prior to this trip, Al-Shaybani announced on social media that he would be traveling to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan in the coming days. He wrote, 'We hope these trips will help strengthen stability, security, economic improvement, and create excellent partnerships.' Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar never restored its diplomatic relations with Syria during Bashar al-Assad's era. Qatar was one of the main supporters of the Syrian rebels in past years and was one of the first countries to reopen its embassy in Damascus after the fall of Assad's regime, following Turkey. Concurrently with the visit of the Syrian Transitional Government delegation to Qatar, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that clashes between Turkey-backed groups and Syrian Kurdish forces in northern Syria over the past two days have resulted in dozens of deaths. According to this monitoring body, these clashes since Friday evening have left 101 dead in several villages around the city of Manbij, including 85 members of Turkey-backed forces and 16 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The Syrian Democratic Forces also stated in a statement that they had repelled 'all attacks by Turkish forces supported by drones and Turkish aircraft.' Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated that Turkey-backed groups intend to advance towards Raqqa by capturing the cities of Kobani and Tabqa. The Syrian Democratic Forces control vast areas of northeastern Syria, regions where the Kurds established autonomous administration after the retreat of government forces during the civil war. The Syrian Democratic Forces are supported by the United States, but Turkey considers them an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been in rebellion in southeastern Turkey for decades, and the Ankara government and some other countries, including the United States, designate them as a terrorist organization. The Turkish army continuously attacks Kurdish positions in Syria and Iraq. Ahmad al-Shar'aa, the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and the new ruler of Syria, stated that the Syrian Democratic Forces will eventually merge with the country's army. He emphasized that 'there is no possibility of the country's disintegration and the Kurds are an integral part of the composition of Syria.'