Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is currently on his first visit to Syria since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December, Morocco World News reports.
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.