A bipartisan delegation of the United States Congress made a rare visit Sunday to Syria’s opposition-held territory in the north. The visit's "purpose is to see the reality of the liberated areas," Yasser el-Hajji, spokesperson for the Syrian interim government, told Agence France Presse (AFP). However, the delegation's visit had to be curtailed for security reasons, a member of their escort told AFP. HTS, which is led by the Syrian branch of Al-Qaida, is classified as a terrorist group by Washington and Türkiye. Congressional representative Wilson had on Friday voiced his support for anti-regime protests spreading this month across southern Syria.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 27, 2023 13:45 UTC