‘No Blank Check’: European Envoys Press Syrian Leader Al-Sharaa to Hold Violent Jihadists Accountable

Latest Developments

Message Comes After Alawite Massacre: Three European envoys told Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa that he has limited time to rein in violent jihadists in his country, according to reports on March 26. The envoys delivered the warning to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani during a visit to Damascus on March 11, a few days after forces affiliated with al-Sharaa’s government massacred more than 1,000 members of the Alawite minority in Latakia province. “The abuses that have taken place in recent days are truly intolerable, and those responsible must be identified and condemned,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said. “There is no blank check for the new authorities.”
Promising Consequences for Massacre Perpetrators: Al-Sharaa, a former leader of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which had previously been affiliated with al-Qaeda, has sought to distance himself from his terrorist pedigree. In the wake of the Latakia atrocities, he announced the formation of an investigation committee and promised to punish those responsible. He has also called for unity among the numerous factions in Syria.
Syria Seeks Relief From International Sanctions: The new Syrian government has sought to gain the trust of the international community to secure much-needed relief from U.S. and European sanctions, which were imposed during the regime of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. On February 24, the European Union suspended a portion of its sanctions, but other EU and U.S. sanctions remain in effect. On March 18, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria Natasha Franceschi gave al-Shibani a list of conditions that the Syrian government must meet for at least a partial lifting of U.S. sanctions.

FDD Expert Response

“Western pressure on the jihadi issue is long overdue. From the moment al-Sharaa took power, he began to install foreign jihadis in top positions in the military and intelligence services. While portraying himself as a moderate, al-Sharaa’s actions are consistent with laying the foundation of a new authoritarian regime run by Islamists. If al-Sharaa wants permanent sanctions relief, he’ll have to oust the jihadis from his government.” — David Adesnik, Vice President of Research

“Syria’s new president has an uphill battle to demonstrate his alleged newfound moderation. After all, al-Sharaa rose to the presidency through the ranks of several jihadist terrorist organizations. While his actions since the toppling of the Assad regime could be read as genuine change, they can equally be understood as tactical pragmatism — an attempt to lull potential domestic and foreign foes and the international community into a false sense of security until he can achieve sanctions removal and consolidate domestic power.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“Despite the optimism following Assad’s overthrow and the new Syrian leadership’s positive rhetoric in the early days of their rule, gaining international trust remains a challenge. Their past as radical jihadists, failure to control their troops during the clashes in western Syria, and the presence of foreign terrorist fighters in the Syrian army all fuel skepticism toward Damascus.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst