Rabat – Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is currently on his first visit to Syria since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December.
In a statement shared via X by his top aide, Hussein al-Sheikh, it was confirmed that Abbas departed for Jordan on Thursday night before traveling to Syria.
Samir al-Rifai, Palestine’s ambassador to Damascus, also confirmed the visit in a phone interview with Anadolu Agency. He stated that the visit is an official one, during which Abbas will meet with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in the capital, Damascus, before returning. Further details of what the visit will entail are yet to be disclosed.
Abbas had previously met with al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the emergency Arab summit in Cairo this past March, while in January, a Palestinian delegation led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa also visited Syria for talks with al-Sharaa.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of the country, ending 61 years of Ba’ath Party rule and 53 years of the Assad family’s grip on power.
The new Syrian government announced the appointment of al-Shara as president on January 29, ushering in a transitional phase set to last five years.
