The US State Department announced that Washington would cancel the $10 million reward that it had previously offered in exchange for information about the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, Ahmed al-Shara, after recent contacts in Damascus.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf, who visited Syria with the US President’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, and the newly appointed advisor Daniel Rubenstein, who was assigned to lead the US State Department’s efforts in Syria, said during an online press conference, She “met with Ahmed Al-Sharaa (Al-Julani) in Damascus, where the principles that Washington wishes to be adhered to in the political transition process in Syria were discussed.”

Leif explained, “The need to not allow terrorist threats to increase in Syria and the need to fight ISIS was discussed.”

She indicated that “Ahmed Al-Sharaa expressed during the meeting his willingness to do so,” and that she informed him that “the reward that had been valid for several years in exchange for information about him would be cancelled,” indicating that the negotiations with Al-Sharaa were very good and fruitful.”

Earlier today, Friday, the US State Department said that “three senior American diplomats have arrived in Damascus, to meet with the Commander-in-Chief of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa.”