US diplomats arrive in Syria’s Damascus to meet Hayat Tahrir al-Sham representatives

US envoys have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the State Department said Friday, in the most formal US diplomatic mission since the start of the long civil war.

According to US media reports, Barbara Leaf, U.S. assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, will lead the US diplomatic delegation.

The diplomats will meet representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — designated a terrorist group by Washington — and civil society to discuss with Syrians “their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them,” a State Department spokesperson said.