Bashar Al Assad likely to be part of a political transition in Syria, says US official

Officials from around the world gathered at events this weekend in Doha and Manama say rebel takeover of Syria stems from violence in Gaza

An anti-government fighter in Hama after their forces captured the central Syrian city on Friday. AFP

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The US envisages Syrian President Bashar Al Assad being part of a mediated political solution to the country's civil war, a US official told The National on Saturday.

Speaking anonymously, the official also said the US was not yet ready to lift the "terrorist" designation on Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the group leading Syria's rebel offensive against Mr Al Assad, nor its leader Mohamed Al Jolani. “Deeds are what we are watching, not words," the official said.

Among those “deeds” will be how Hayat Tahrir and its affiliates behave in territories they newly control, including their treatment of minorities such as the Kurds and Alawites, the official said.

Some attending the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, and the Doha Forum in neighbouring Qatar on Saturday, expressed a lack of surprise at the recent takeover of key Syrian cities by anti-government rebels, with some saying the developments stemmed from the violence in Gaza.

Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, said the offensive in Syria was linked to the war in the Palestinian enclave.

"Anyone who eliminated the fact that Syria's away from that conflict was mistaken," he said at the 22nd Doha Forum, noting that the failure to bring meaningful results on reconciliation in Syria has contributed to the current crisis, particularly on issues like refugee returns and internal dialogue.

The Qatari premier also said President Al Assad had failed to engage with his people during a period of calm in the country's war.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Barth Eide echoed these sentiments, highlighting the interconnectedness of regional conflicts.

He pointed to the weakening of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon through Israeli attacks on its infrastructure and leaders, and Russia's engagement in Ukraine as factors creating a power vacuum in Syria, which rebel groups have exploited.

US envoy Amos Hochstein said Hezbollah had been further weakened by the withdrawal from Syria of Iran, a long-time backer of Mr Assad, with reports saying Tehran had removed military commanders and personnel from the country.

Mr Hochstein said Iran's reduced presence in Syria would make it more difficult for Hezbollah to bring in weapons.

On Saturday, Syrian rebels entered the city of Sanamayn on the outskirts of Damascus, after taking over Deraa and the nearby governorate of Suweida, south of the capital. Rebel group spokesman Hassan Abdulghani said his forces were about 20 kilometres from the capital, adding that Sanamayn is now “liberated”.

The rebel group in this area is part of a loose umbrella of military factions and is not directly connected to HTS, which has swept through regime-controlled areas in the north since last week.