The Guardian reported on December 21 that the US had lifted a $10 million bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opposition military force in Syria, after the first direct meeting between US diplomats and HTS leaders.

Barbara Leaf, the US State Department's senior diplomat for the Middle East, said al-Sharaa had given assurances during the meeting in Damascus that the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups would not be allowed to operate on Syrian soil.

Ms Leaf said the US delegation had informed Mr al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, that Washington would no longer offer a $10 million reward for his capture. The diplomat said the reward would complicate efforts to negotiate with the HTS leader.

“It was a policy decision … consistent with the fact that we are starting discussions with HTS,” she said.

Accompanying Ms. Leaf to Damascus (Syria) were Mr. Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy in charge of hostage affairs, and Mr. Daniel Rubinstein, a senior adviser tasked with handling the relationship between the US and the new forces running Syria.

Ms Leaf said the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the ousted president in Syria, should mark the end of Iranian influence in Syria.

Diplomats have raised questions about the whereabouts of American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in Syria in 2012, as well as Syrian-American psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz and other Americans who have disappeared while Mr. al-Assad was in power. The United States has had no diplomatic relations with Syria since closing its embassy in 2012.

Another issue up for discussion in Damascus was the future of Syria's Kurds, who have long been US allies in the fight against IS in the region.

After meeting with the US delegation, according to AFP, the Syrian interim government issued a statement saying that the country wanted to contribute to "regional peace".

"The Syrian side said that the Syrian people maintain an equal distance from all countries and parties in the region and that Syria is against any polarization," the statement said.

The statement said the new administration wants to “affirm Syria’s role in promoting regional peace and building a privileged strategic partnership with countries in the region.”

The US side said the meeting was “very productive”. Ms Leaf said it was “a good first meeting” and “we will judge by actions, not just words”.