US Had Direct Contact With Syrian Rebel Groups, Blinken Says

The talks aimed to determine the whereabouts of missing American journalist Austin Tice, according to Blinken.

People celebrate with rebel fighters at Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 8, 2024. Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images

The United States has been in direct contact with Syrian rebel groups including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is now the country’s dominant force following the collapse of the long-ruling Assad regime, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Dec. 14.

This was the first public confirmation of direct interaction between the United States and designated terror group HTS, and comes at the conclusion of Blinken’s diplomatic trip in the region amid Syria’s rapid political upheaval.