Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara met the new head of the US military's Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper in Damascus on Friday, his office and Centcom said.
Admiral Cooper was accompanied by the US special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack. The two officials met Mr Al Shara at the presidential palace in the Syrian capital, Centcom said. The meeting focused on the threat still posed by ISIS in the country, as well as efforts to integrate Syrian armed groups into the government's military, it said.
A statement from the Syrian presidency said Mr Al Shara and the US officials “addressed prospects for co-operation in the political and military fields in the service of shared interests and consolidating the foundations of security and stability in Syria and the region”.
Their meeting “reflected the positive atmosphere and shared interest in strengthening the strategic partnership and expanding channels of communication between Damascus and Washington”, it added.
The United States has for years maintained a troop presence at a series of bases in Syria as part of efforts against ISIS, the extremist group which overran large areas of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014. Admiral Cooper and Mr Barrack thanked Mr Al Shara for “his support to counter ISIS in Syria”, a Centcom statement said.
“Eliminating the ISIS threat in Syria will reduce the risk of an ISIS attack on the US homeland while working towards President Trump's vision of a prosperous Middle East and a stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbours,” it said. Admiral Cooper and Mr Barrack also “offered praise to Syria for supporting the recovery of US citizens inside the country”.
Several US citizens went missing or were killed during Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011. The war ended when rebels led by Mr Al Shara's Hayat Tahrir Al Sham group toppled the long-time dictator Bashar Al Assad in December. The US, EU and countries in the region have supported efforts by the new Syrian authorities to rebuild the war-torn country and restore its economy.
Mr Al Shara's government is also seeking to integrate all armed groups in the country into a newly formed military, including the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls large parts of eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led SDF, which was instrumental in defeating ISIS in Syria continues to carry out operations against the group with US support and has so far resisted pressure from Damascus to join the new military.
In April, the Pentagon announced it would roughly halve the number of troops it has in the country to fewer than 1,000 in the coming months as part of a “consolidation” of US forces. Mr Barrack said in June that the military would eventually close all but one of its bases in Syria.
Admiral Cooper has visited several countries in the region since he was appointed in early August to lead Centcom, the US military command responsible for the Middle East. He met the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo on Monday, following a visit to Israel at the weekend. He has also held talks with Iraqi officials in Baghdad and in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region last week.
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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- Mental well-being assistance
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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