Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been on perhaps his last Middle East diplomatic mission as America’s top diplomat this week.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the United States was communicating directly with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant rebel faction, despite its designation as a terrorist group.

Khalidi AQABA, Jordan (Reuters) -Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations have agreed that a new government in Syria should respect minority rights, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday following talks in Jordan and direct contacts with the rebels who ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations met in Jordan on Saturday for talks on Syria as regional and global powers scramble for influence over whatever government replaces ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

In Jordan to meet regional counterparts, US top diplomat doesn't go into detail about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group that ousted Assad

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government is communicating with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which remains on a State Department terrorism list.

Western and Arab states along with Turkey jointly voiced support for a united, peaceful Syria. Read more at straitstimes.com.

As a rebel alliance with a tenuous hold on power struggles to assert control of the fractured country, Israel, Turkey and the United States are trying to influence what Syria will become.

King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan received Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with Arab and foreign ministers and international officials participating in the Aqaba ministerial meetings on Syria held today in Aqaba.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi affirmed Saturday Amman’s support for Syria during its rebuilding phase after years of killing, destruction and displacement. Safadi condemned Israel's incursions into Syria, warning that they would "will only complicate matters."

Russia is pulling back its military from northern Syria and posts in the Alawite Mountains but is not leaving its two main bases, four Syrian officials told Reuters.

Resolution 2254, agreed upon by the UN Security Council in 2015, outlined how the Syrian civil war might end and how the country could transition to democracy. But is it still fit for purpose now so much has changed?