What is happening now in Syria “is paving the way” for the Islamic State group to re-emerge. That’s according to a leading Kurdish commander who played a key role in defeating the group in Syria in 2019. General Mazloum Abdi told the BBC that IS activity has “increased significantly” and the danger of a resurgence has doubled. Our senior international correspondent Orla Guerin was given rare access to the largest IS jail - in the city of Al Hasakah. Also in the programme: A BBC investigation has found that the embattled military rulers of Myanmar control less than a quarter of the country; Malaysia has authorised a new attempt to find the wreckage of MH-370 - the flight that disappeared ten years ago; and the group of singers, with an average age of 92, which has broken the Guinness World Record for the world's oldest choir. (Photo: The BBC was granted rare access to the largest prison for IS detainees - Al Sina - which holds some 5,000 men. Credit: BBC/Matthew Goddard)
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Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.
We're coming to you live from London.
I'm James Menendez.
And we're going to begin today in Syria and this question, how should Western countries deal with hts, the country's new Islamist leadership, a group that they designate as a terrorist organization and that's still under sanctions because of its jihadist roots?
Its leader, Ahmed Al Sharra told the BBC this week that he wanted to see all sanctions on Syria lifted as soon as possible in order to begin the monumental task of rebuilding the country after more than 50 years of Assad family rule, a call that was echoed today by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who supported the rebels in their fight to topple Bashar Al Assad.
Well, today American diplomats are in Damascus for the first time in more than a decade for talks with HTs.
Let's talk to the BBC's Leena Sinjab, who's in the Syrian capital.
And Lina, what are the Americans hoping to achieve, do you think?
Well, I think it is two sided, you know, demands.
The Americans want to make sure that the new leadership with the de facto leader, Ahmed El Shera does not be excluding other factions of the Syrian society.
They want to see that this is an inclusive government protecting minority, protects women's rights.
They don't want to see an Islamist government ruling the country.
And that's also something echoed by many other, you know, diplomats here in Damascus from the West.
But like at the same time, Ahmad Al Shara and his government want the US And U sanctions that have been imposed on Syria because of Bashar Al Assad's atrocities to be lifted.
These sanctions have created, crippled the economy and are stopping any aid to rebuild the country from coming in.