US Republican Lawmakers Make Unannounced Visit to Syrian Opposition Territory

Three Republican US lawmakers visited northwest Syria on Sunday. US Reps. French Hill of Arkansas, Ben Cline of Virginia, and Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin entered Syria via the Bab al-Salama crossing in northern Aleppo province. This marks the first known visit by American lawmakers to the war-ravaged country in six years.

The visit comes as Arab leaders have begun restoring relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad, a move at odds with US policy. Hill told The Associated Press that the goal of the visit was to advocate for a political resolution to the Syrian civil war, stressing the need for representative government in Syria. During their stay, the lawmakers were welcomed by orphans at Wisdom House, a school funded in part by Hill’s constituents.

The delegation also met with opposition and humanitarian leaders, including Raed Saleh, head of the White Helmets, the volunteer group that works in medical evacuation, urban search and rescue, the evacuation of civilians from danger areas, and essential service delivery.

Security concerns prohibited any public announcement of the trip.

Hill criticized the Biden Administration for not exerting enough pressure on Assad over political reforms and the illegal drug trade.