Syrian delegation visits Saudi Arabia, first overseas since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown
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A high-level Syrian delegation led by Foreign Minister Assad Shabani has arrived in Riyadh on its first official trip abroad since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebels last month.
“With this first visit in the history of Free Syria, we are eager to open a new and bright page in Syrian-Saudi relations, in line with the long shared history of both countries,” Shabani said on X.
Saudi Arabia has welcomed Assad several times over the past two years, re-engaging with the dictator for the first time since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011. On the 8th, the Islamic organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took control of Damascus.
The visit “shows our commitment to opening a new page of constructive regional co-operation . . . and we also value the responsiveness of the new administration in Syria to these efforts,” Yahya said during a press conference in Damascus.
