Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has said that the United States has made “direct contact” with Syrian rebel group HTS; which led the offensive that toppled the Assad regime.

This is the first acknowledgement of direct American contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the US currently still designates as a terrorist organisation.

After Blinken’s talks with representatives from several Arab countries, Turkey and Europe to discuss the future of Syria, officials agreed to support a peaceful transition process in the country.