Saudi FM to visit Damascus on Friday, says Syrian official

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud will visit Damascus on Friday and meet with top officials in the new Syrian administration, a Syrian official said on Thursday, News.az reports citing Reuters.

Bin Farhan was last in Damascus in April 2023 to meet former President Bashar al-Assad, part of Saudi efforts to end the years-long regional isolation of Syria's then-president.

The following month, Saudi Arabia invited Assad to an Arab League summit in Riyadh, a body that had suspended Syria's membership over his deadly crackdown on protesters in 2011.

Arab countries have historically been concerned about Syria's production and trade of captagon, an amphetamine-like drug used in the Gulf by party-goers and labourers alike.

Syria is under a caretaker administration after rebels overthrew Assad in December.

News.Az