Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, says the country will continue to judge the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) by their actions.

Ms Baerbock said this during her surprise visit to Damascus on Friday, weeks after the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad.

“We know where the HTS ideologically comes from, what they have done in the past,” Ms Baerbock stated.

But she said there was also a desire for moderation and understanding with other key players.

The initiation of talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a significant sign in this direction, she noted.

HTS emerged from the al-Nusra Front, an offshoot of the terrorist network al-Qaeda. De facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa heads the HTS and was previously known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Joulani.

Mr Al-Sharaa had disassociated from al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, considered terrorist organisations by many Western countries.

However, there are still reports suggesting that the HTS leadership maintains contact with al-Qaeda.

The German foreign minister and Green Party politician, who landed on Friday morning at the airport in Damascus in a German military A400M propeller transport aircraft, stated, “We will continue to judge the HTS by their actions. In spite of all scepticism, we must not miss the opportunity now to support the people in Syria at this crucial crossroads.”

The foreign minister explained that Germany is also working to ensure that the intra-Syrian process is not disrupted from outside. This, she noted, includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all neighbouring states.

Though she did not mention Turkey and Israel by name, those countries have been accused of pursuing their own interests in Syria.

In Ms Baerbock’s discussions in Damascus, the potential return of Syrian refugees from Germany, as supported by the transitional Syrian government, is likely to be a topic.

According to the German Interior Ministry, around 975,000 Syrians currently live in Germany.

Most arrived in the country in 2015 due to the civil war. 

(dpa/NAN)