WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The Biden administration said Tuesday it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. It also said U.S. troops won’t be leaving Syria anytime soon.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar al-Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly.
He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with, but the State Department has not ruled out talks with the main Syrian rebel group despite its designation as a terrorist organization.
The qualified pledge of support for a post-al-Assad Syria comes as the Biden administration targets Islamic State fighters to try to prevent the group from reemerging as an international threat and maintains support for Israel as its forces conduct their own operations inside Syria.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told NewsNation that despite the regional upheaval, the administration is committed to bringing home American journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria on August 13, 2012.
“We don’t have any indication that he’s not alive, and so absent something like that, we’re going to behave as if he is and work with the energy and the effort to get him home with his family where he belongs,” he said. “I don’t want to overpromise results, but I do want to make a promise to the family that we’re going to take advantage of every opportunity we have.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.