US Secretary of Statehas called for an “inclusive” process to form Syria’s next government


AQABA (AFP): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jordan on Thursday at the start of a crisis tour to address the aftermath of the overthrow of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, an AFP journalist on his plane said.
The outgoing top US diplomat headed straight to a meeting in the Red Sea city of Aqaba with King Abdullah II and will travel later in the day to Turkiye.
Blinken has called for an “inclusive” process to form Syria’s next government that includes protections for minorities after rebels ended the iron-fisted rule of Assad, a member of the Alawite community.
Announcing his trip, the State Department said he would also call for a Syria that is not “a base of terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbours” – a nod to the concerns of Turkiye and Israel, which has ramped up strikes on its historic adversary since Assad’s fall.
It is Blinken’s 12th visit to the Middle East since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel, which has responded with a relentless military campaign in Gaza.
His previous trips have ended in disappointment as he sought a ceasefire between US ally Israel and Hamas.
President Joe Biden’s administration leaves office on January 20.
President-elect Donald Trump has described Syria as “a mess” and said that the United States should not get involved, although he has not elaborated on US policy since Assad’s ouster.
Wolf attack in Central Kurram leaves 9 injured, including child
- 21 منٹ قبل

Joby will launch UK air taxi service with Virgin Atlantic
- 3 گھنٹے قبل

Sindh introduces scholarship and job portal to boost education, employment
- 2 گھنٹے قبل

Security meeting scheduled amid rising terror threats in Pakistan
- 41 منٹ قبل

PSX continues rally as KSE-100 gains 663 points amid IMF optimism
- 32 منٹ قبل

FM reveals no plans for salary boost or pension increase in new budget
- ایک گھنٹہ قبل
SpaceX aims to send robots to Mars by 2026, humans expected by 2029-2031
- 9 منٹ قبل

Police officer shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants in Bannu
- 2 گھنٹے قبل

UConn-Creighton ends in scuffle over 'fancy' dunk
- 5 منٹ قبل

Trump’s attacks on higher ed could provide a chance to reimagine the university
- ایک گھنٹہ قبل

Sugar prices drop by Rs2 in Karachi wholesale market
- 2 گھنٹے قبل

A DOGE staffer broke Treasury policy by emailing unencrypted personal data
- 3 گھنٹے قبل