Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been on perhaps his last Middle East diplomatic mission as America’s top diplomat this week.

Hostage envoy Roger Carstens is in Syria making the first known in-person U.S. in-person contact with the caretaker government and seeking help in finding missing American Austin Tice.

Ms Barbara Leaf, the US diplomat for the Middle East, says the talks were positive. Read more at straitstimes.com.

In Jordan to meet regional counterparts, US top diplomat doesn't go into detail about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group that ousted Assad

Resolution 2254, agreed upon by the UN Security Council in 2015, outlined how the Syrian civil war might end and how the country could transition to democracy. But is it still fit for purpose now so much has changed?

Western and Arab states along with Turkey jointly voiced support for a united, peaceful Syria. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government is communicating with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which remains on a State Department terrorism list.

Top diplomats from the United States, the Arab League and Turkey have met in Jordan to discuss Syria’s transition after the fall of Bashar Assad's government last weekend.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously noted that world leaders discussed "the need for an inclusive, Syrian-led political transition" during the Aqaba Meetings on Syria in Jordan on Dec. 14.

As a rebel alliance with a tenuous hold on power struggles to assert control of the fractured country, Israel, Turkey and the United States are trying to influence what Syria will become.

King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan received Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with Arab and foreign ministers and international officials participating in the Aqaba ministerial meetings on Syria held today in Aqaba.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi affirmed Saturday Amman’s support for Syria during its rebuilding phase after years of killing, destruction and displacement. Safadi condemned Israel's incursions into Syria, warning that they would "will only complicate matters."