Washington- The U.S.-led coalition against ISIS has formally rejected a request from Syria’s interim government to join the multinational alliance, according to reports by the Lebanese daily An-Nahar.
The application, supported by France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, was presented by Ahmed Al-Shar’a, head of the transitional administration in Syria. According to diplomatic sources cited by the newspaper, the coalition declined the request, citing a lack of conditions required for membership.
This is not the first time the Syrian interim authority has sought to join the coalition. The initial request was submitted shortly after Al-Shar’a’s
appointment during the “Victory Conference” held in late January. A second attempt was made in recent days, bolstered by diplomatic encouragement from European and Gulf partners.
A French diplomatic source told An-Nahar that Paris, in coordination with Berlin and with support from Riyadh, had urged the Syrian administration to resubmit its application. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also publicly encouraged the Syrian interim body to engage with the coalition, while stressing the need to “crack down on extremist factions within their ranks and ensure accountability for past crimes.”
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The administration’s second attempt to join the coalition came after what it described as successful navigation of internal political challenges, including the formation of a cabinet under intense international scrutiny.
However, U.S. officials remain skeptical. A diplomat in Washington told An-Nahar that Syria is “still banking on unrealistic expectations regarding political recognition from the United States.” The official added that the U.S. had asked the Syrian administration for a list of high-ranking military officers holding foreign citizenships, citing global security concerns.
Further complicating the situation are conditions set by Washington in previous engagements. According to a March 25 Reuters report, the U.S. handed Syria a list of demands during a sideline meeting at the Brussels donor conference. These included:
- Full destruction of remaining chemical weapons stockpiles
- Active counterterrorism cooperation with U.S. forces
- Appointment of a liaison for ongoing efforts to locate missing American journalist Austin Tice
- A commitment not to place foreign fighters in senior positions of authority
The list was reportedly delivered by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Natasha Franceschi during a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani.
