Washington: President Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa at the White House on Monday in what has become one of the most unexpected diplomatic developments in years. The visit marks the first time a Syrian leader has ever been officially welcomed to the White House and signals a major turnaround in relations between Washington and Damascus.

Ahmed al Sharaa, who came to power after the fall of Bashar al Assad in December last year, has moved quickly to reposition Syria on the world stage. Once seen as a rebel commander with links to extremist groups, he has since sought to distance his government from Iran and Russia and to build ties with Turkey, Gulf countries, and now the United States.

According to US officials, the two leaders discussed the possibility of security coo

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