JEDDAH — Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa departed Riyadh on Monday, traveling to Makkah to perform Umrah, accompanied by his official delegation. Upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, he was received by Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishal. At King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, several senior Saudi officials bid farewell to the Syrian president, including Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Emir of Riyadh; Minister of State and Cabinet Member Mohammed bin Abdulmalik Al Al-Sheikh, who served as the accompanying minister; Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Secretary of the Riyadh Region; Royal Court Advisor Khaled Hadrawi; Saudi Ambassador to Syria Faisal Al-Mujfel; Acting Director of Riyadh Police Major General Mansour Al-Otaibi; and Royal Protocol Deputy Fahd Al-Suhail. On Sunday, President al-Sharaa held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, discussing key regional developments and avenues for supporting Syria's security and stability. Following the meeting, al-Sharaa expressed his gratitude to the Crown Prince for Saudi Arabia's sincere support for Syria and its people. In a statement published by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), he said, "We discussed the latest developments in Syria and explored ways to enhance security and stability in our brotherly nation." He further noted that he had witnessed a genuine desire from Saudi Arabia to support Syria's future, uphold the Syrian people's aspirations, and safeguard the country's unity and territorial integrity. Al-Sharaa also emphasized that political and diplomatic cooperation between Syria and Saudi Arabia will continue to strengthen.
