Syria's Sharaa Heads to UAE for Second Visit to a Gulf Country as Leader

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends an interview with Reuters at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends an interview with Reuters at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
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Syria's Sharaa Heads to UAE for Second Visit to a Gulf Country as Leader

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends an interview with Reuters at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends an interview with Reuters at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa will travel to the United Arab Emirates for his second visit to a Gulf state as president on Sunday, Syria's official news agency reported.

Sharaa will be accompanied by foreign minister Assad al-Shibani, who visited the UAE earlier this year.

They are expected to discuss issues of mutual interest, the SANA state news agency reported.

Sharaa visited Saudi Arabia in February on his first foreign trip since assuming the presidency in January.

According to Reuters, the West is watching Syria's leaders closely to ensure they create an inclusive government with effective institutions, maintain order in a country fractured by civil war and prevent a resurgence of ISIS or al Qaeda.

Syria is in desperate need of sanctions relief to revive its economy after 14 years of war, during which the United States and Europe imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Assad's regime.



Israel Says it Carried Out Warning Strike on 'Extremists' in Syria Threatening Druze

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
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Israel Says it Carried Out Warning Strike on 'Extremists' in Syria Threatening Druze

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI

The Israeli military carried out a warning strike against "extremists" preparing to attack members of the Druze minority in the Syrian town of Sahnaya, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday in a joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz.

"The IDF (military) carried out a warning action and struck the organization of an extremist group preparing to attack the Druze population in the town of Sahnaya, in the Damascus region of Syria," said the statement.

The Israeli announcement came after an eruption of deadly sectarian violence in predominantly Druze areas near Damascus.

The Israeli statement also said a message "was passed on to the Syrian regime - Israel expects it to act in order to prevent harm to the Druze."

A spokesman for Syria's interior ministry, speaking to Reuters from Sahnaya said he had no indication that an attack had taken place.