Can Syria’s New Leaders and U.S.-Backed Forces Unite to Defeat ISIS?

Seth Frantzman

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U.S. Navy Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Aircraft Handling 2nd Class Kyle Darmanin, from Mooresville, North Carolina, assigned to air department’s flight deck crash and salvage division, signals an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the Timor Sea in support of Talisman Sabre 2025, July 14, 2025. Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and partners, while enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Crowley)

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a delegation to Syria that met with Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed al-Shara’a, on August 25. She was accompanied by US Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC). She also met with Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, during the trip.

The Great Syria Rethink for America

The trip comes as the US continues to do outreach to Syria and support its new government. Shaheen’s trip was symbolic because it involved meetings with Shara’a and Abdi, two key leaders in Syria who will need to work together if the country is to proceed with unification. In addition, they will need to coordinate against extremist threats, such as ISIS.

“A Syria that can stand on its own after ridding itself of the Assad regime will be a cornerstone for regional stability in the Middle East. America is ready to be a partner to a new Syria that moves in the right direction,” Shaheen said.

On August 19, US forces carried out a raid targeting an ISIS leader who was hiding out in Atmeh in northwest Syria. US Central Command said that the ISIS member was a key financier and was killed in the raid.