US President Donald Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, welcoming Syria into a US-led global coalition to fight the Islamic State group. The meeting marked the first visit to the White House by a Syrian head of state since Syria gained independence from France in 1946. Al-Sharaa arrived at the White House around 11.30 am and shortly after began a closed meeting in the Oval Office. He entered via West Executive Avenue rather than the West Wing driveway normally used for foreign leaders’ arrivals. He left about two hours later, greeting a throng of supporters outside before getting into his motorcade, AP reported. Syria will join the international coalition to combat the Islamic State group, marking a shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East

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