Al-Modon” has learned from a well-informed source that Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Syria’s new political administration, plans to visit Saudi Arabia next week. Al-Sharaa also met with Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalan in Damascus, marking Kalan’s second visit to the Syrian capital since the fall of the Assad regime.
Visit to Saudi Arabia
The source revealed that al-Sharaa’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia is scheduled for the coming week but did not provide further details, including whether he will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
On Thursday, al-Sharaa announced in a televised interview with a Turkish channel that his first foreign visit would be either to Saudi Arabia or Turkey, although he did not specify a precise date.
On Friday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan visited Damascus—the first such visit since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. During a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, bin Farhan stated that Saudi Arabia is “engaged in an active dialogue” about lifting sanctions on Syria, adding, “We are hearing positive messages from all relevant parties.” He also noted that Riyadh is discussing the matter with Europe and the United States to facilitate the lifting of sanctions.
Kalan’s Second Visit to Damascus
On Sunday, al-Sharaa met with a Turkish delegation led by Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalan, according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA). No additional details about the meeting’s content were disclosed.
Kalan’s previous visit to Damascus took place on January 12, just three days after Assad’s regime fell. This was followed nine days later by a visit from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
In his Thursday interview, al-Sharaa noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the first to congratulate him on the fall of the Assad regime. He emphasized the strength of Syria-Turkey relations and commended Turkey for its significant support of the Syrian people.
Al-Sharaa also underscored the new administration’s commitment to preventing terrorist attacks by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) against Turkey and pledged to work diligently to secure the Turkish border.
