US diplomats visiting Syria for first time since Assad's fall

The US State Department said three senior officials are visiting the Syrian capital of Damascus to discuss the country's political transition.

The officials are the first American diplomats to visit Syria since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

The State Department said on Friday that the three include Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf, who is in charge of Near Eastern affairs.

It said the diplomats plan to meet with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has launched a transitional government.

The US government said it fully supports a political transition that is led by the Syrian people. It said any new government in Syria must uphold clear commitments to fully respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, and prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism.