The name of Farouk al-Sharaa, the former Vice President of the Syrian regime in Damascus, has resurfaced in the political scene following reports that Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Commander-in-Chief of the General Administration in Damascus, invited the former politician to attend a forthcoming national dialogue conference in the capital.
A source from the media office of the General Command in Damascus denied any meeting between Ahmed Sharaa, the Commander of the Military Operations Department, and Farouk Sharaa. However, individuals close to Sharaa claimed that the Operations Department commander had visited him “since the first days of his arrival in Damascus” at his residence in a suburban area. They also clarified that the two figures are not related by kinship, contrary to media claims.
Farouk Sharaa, a veteran Syrian politician from Daraa governorate, has been absent from public life since 2011. He played a significant role in shaping Syria’s foreign policy, serving as Foreign Minister from 1984 under Hafez al-Assad and continuing under Bashar al-Assad after 2000.
In 2006, Sharaa was appointed Vice President. In 2011, he chaired a national dialogue conference at the Sahara Hotel in Damascus, months after the anti-Assad protests began. During the conference, he called for a political settlement to the conflict. Shortly after, he disappeared from the public eye amid reports of house arrest and the imprisonment of his driver and personal aide for allegedly facilitating an attempted defection. He has reportedly been confined to Damascus since that time.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
