US congressman Hamadeh visits Damascus

US Congressman Abraham J. Hamadeh met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus, his office said on Monday.

Hamadeh's office described the visit as "historic," saying it is "the first time an American official has shuttled between Jerusalem and Damascus in decades."

During the meetings, Hamadeh discussed the return of the remains of US aid worker Kayla Mueller to her family, establishing a humanitarian corridor to deliver medical and aid supplies safely to Suwayda, and possible steps toward normalization between Israel and Syria.

Hamadeh, son of Syrian immigrants, served in the US military before being elected in 2024 as the first US congressman of Syrian descent from Arizona.

Suwayda has seen a ceasefire since July 19 following a week of armed clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes, and Israeli intervention.

Syria's transitional administration, formed after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, is working to restore stability across the country after nearly 25 years of authoritarian rule.