The United States has removed Syria from a list of countries banned from buying or importing US weapons as Washington continues to strengthen ties with the government in Damascus. The US Department of State said on Wednesday that it was changing the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, to remove Syria from the list and allow US arms sales on a case-by-case basis. The country’s current president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has placed a strong focus on improving relations with the US and obtaining relief from economic sanctions that he says hinder the country’s path to recovery after years of devastating civil war.
Al-Sharra is a former fighter who was aligned with Syria’s al-Nusra Front armed group. The Trump administration, expressing optimism about its relationship with the new Syrian government, has gradually loosened a number of restrictions. Trump eased some economic sanctions last year, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in August that the US was removing Syria’s designation as a “state sponsor of terrorism”.
The US also announced in February that it planned to eventually reopen its embassy in Damascus, which has been closed since 2012.
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