Syria's Abu Mohammed al-Julani Meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh

In a significant diplomatic move, Syria’s transitional president, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday, marking his first foreign trip since being declared president last week. This visit signals a shift in Syria’s complex political landscape following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.

The visit is noteworthy not only for its high-profile nature but also because the Saudi crown prince is the second Gulf leader to meet with al-Julani since his appointment as Syria’s transitional leader. This marks a significant step in al-Julani’s efforts to gain international support after Assad’s departure. Al-Julani, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, has been working to establish legitimacy and strengthen ties with both Arab and Western leaders amid Syria’s turbulent transition.

Accompanying al-Julani during the visit was Syria's foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, who is also expected to play a key role in the diplomatic outreach. The meeting in Riyadh came just days after Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Damascus, becoming the first head of state to visit the Syrian capital since the fall of Assad.

The meeting between al-Julani and bin Salman is seen as a pivotal moment in the regional dynamics, as it signals potential shifts in the Middle East's approach to Syria. Al-Julani’s outreach to Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, highlights the complex and evolving alliances in the region following Assad's ouster.

This diplomatic exchange is part of al-Julani's broader strategy to consolidate power and gather support from key regional players, which will be critical in navigating Syria’s post-Assad future.

However, back in Syria, all is not well.

A deadly car bomb explosion rocked the Syrian city of Manbij on Monday, claiming the lives of at least 15 people, marking it as the deadliest attack in Syria since the ousting of Assad in December. The blast, which occurred near the Turkish border, is the second attack in just three days, underlining the growing instability in the region.

The victims, identified by the Civil Defense rescue service, included 14 women and one man. They were agricultural workers, and the explosion also left another 15 women wounded. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue, according to a civil defense official speaking with Reuters.

Manbij, a strategically important city located about 30 kilometers from Turkey, has experienced frequent shifts in control during the Syrian civil war. It was recently captured by Turkey-backed groups in December from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had previously regained it from the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2016. This constant change of hands has made the city a hotbed of tensions and violence.

The recent escalation follows a car bomb attack in Manbij on Saturday, which killed four civilians and injured nine others, including children. No group has yet claimed responsibility for Monday's deadly bombing, adding to the uncertainty and fear among locals.

The ongoing violence in Manbij and other parts of Syria underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis, as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the war’s devastating toll. The international community remains on edge as tensions rise in this already fragile region.