US President Joe Biden's administration has urged the rebel group that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to automatically take over the country's leadership, but instead conduct an inclusive process to form a transitional government. This was reported by "Reuters", citing two American officials and a congressional aide who were informed of the first US contacts with the group.
Communications with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group formerly allied to al-Qaeda and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, are conducted in coordination with Washington's allies in the Middle East, including Turkey.
The administration is also in contact with President-elect Donald Trump's team on the matter, one of the officials said.
The discussions that have taken place over the past few days are part of a larger effort by Washington to coordinate with various groups in Syria as it tries to deal with the chaotic aftermath of the sudden collapse of the Assad regime on Sunday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US had sent messages to the group to help with early efforts to establish a formal governing structure for the country.
The sources declined to say whether the messages were sent directly or through an intermediary.
Washington believes the transitional government should represent the wishes of the Syrian people and will not support HTS taking control without a formal process to choose new leaders, officials said.
The US National Security Council declined to comment.
The United States in 2013. designated HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, as a terrorist, saying al-Qaida in Iraq had tasked him with toppling Assad's rule and establishing Islamic Sharia law in Syria. It said the "Nusra Front", the predecessor of HTS, carried out suicide attacks that killed civilians.
The official said the administration is not yet aware of Golani's role in the future Syrian government -- or whether he still holds extremist ideologies.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken laid out criteria for Syria's political transition on Tuesday, saying Washington would recognize a future Syrian government that represents a credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governing body.
Assad's government collapsed over the weekend amid a lightning offensive by the rebel group.
The State Department has indicated it will review that designation if the group takes steps to reverse the reasons for it, clarifying that the listing itself does not prohibit discussions between its members and U.S. officials.
Department spokesman Matthew Miller said US officials "have the ability, when it is in our best interest, to lawfully communicate with a designated terrorist organization.
Russia officially acknowledged on Tuesday that Assad is on its territory.