Saudi foreign minister visits Syria as relations thaw

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat arrived in the Syrian capital on Tuesday, the first official visit by an official from the kingdom in more than a decade. The kingdom cut off diplomatic relations with Damascus in 2012, after the outbreak of Syria’s civil war.However, in recent years, as Syrian President Bashar Assad consolidated control over most of the country, Syria’s neighbors have begun to take steps toward rapprochement.

The overtures picked up pace since the massive Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkiye and Syria, and reestablishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict.Last week, Syria and Saudi Arabia said they were moving toward restoring consular services and resuming flights between the two countries.