President Donald Trump met with Ahmed Al Shara, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, in Riyadh. Al Sharaa was placed on the US Specially Designated Global Terrorist list in 2013 for heading al Qaeda’s affiliate. Trump heaped endless praise on the “young, attractive” Syrian leader, who was once detained for fighting U.S. forces in Iraq. The $10m US bounty on his head was only lifted in December.
DOHA MAY 16: President Donald Trump met with Ahmed Al Shara in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and urged him to normalise ties with longtime foe Israel after a surprise U.S. announcement that it would lift all sanctions on the Islamist-led government. Ahmed al-Sharaa, once known by his militant nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, met Trump in Riyadh. Photos posted on Saudi state television showed the two men shaking hands in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al Sharaa was placed on the US Specially Designated Global Terrorist list in 2013 for heading al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, known as Al Nusra Front, and allegedly orchestrating suicide bombings across Syria.
Ahmed Al Shara – “young & attractive”
Trump heaped endless praise on the “young, attractive” Syrian president, who was once detained for fighting U.S. forces in Iraq – the $10m US bounty on his head was only lifted in December.
Trump has said his administration is now exploring the possibility of normalising relations with Syria – his comments coming shortly after he met Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces ended the decades-long dictatorship of the Assad family.
Trump’s four-day visit highlights the United States’ growing ties to the oil-rich region, where his real-estate company is also developing several projects. That has raised concerns about a conflict of interest between Trump’s official duties as president and his business interests.
Featured Image: Gage Skidmore
