Thread/ In light of the unprecedented trip/s by U.S officials to #Syria for the first time since the start of the war, the case of Austin Tice & hostages file could be game changer for Syrian-US relations if a positive outcome was reached, so what do we know so far?

1/ Trump has been consistent in reaching out to #Syria on the hostages file since the start of his presidency, several tracks were used to get in touch with the Syrians and persuade them to talk, even offers of assistance in certain areas and sanctions relief were touted.

2/ #Trump sent messages to #Assad and even a formal letter through the Czech embassy in Damascus as a way of trying to create a link with Syria, mainly to get Austin Tice back, who has been missing since 2012 in Darayaa, the Syrians have never officially acknowledged having him.

3/ #Assad rejected almost every message from the Americans and refused to be drawn into the matter until things became more serious and the U.S began to send officials. With every attempt to discuss the hostages file, other matters were stopping progress.

4/ Caesar Act sanctions had started & US rhetoric towards Damascus kept increasing in hostility, from the start there is a clear issue of mistrust and friction between the parties & isn’t helped by different sections of the administration dealing with the Syria file differently.

5/ Clearly It’s hard to negotiate for the release of some hostages when something like the Caesar Act happens, the Syrians always felt they were receiving mixed messages, the U.S would reach out and then increase sanctions or raise the level of aggression politically.

6/ Sources within the Syrian Capital confirmed that the most recent trip discussed by the Wall Street Journal was actually preceded by three different trips by U.S officials over the past months and years, all with the aim of discussing the hostages file.

7/ The Syrians have also never publicly denied whether or not they have Austin Tice, rather preferring to state that they will only discuss other files after the issue of the U.S withdrawing from #Syria is on the table and talked about.

8/ According to some heavily directed and clear political messaging in today’s Al-Watan Newspaper which quoted Senior Syrian sources on the matter, the two U.S officials Roger Carstens and Cash Patel, met with Ali Mamlouk the head of the National Security Bureau in Damascus.

9/ The Syrians didn’t even discuss sanctions, they were solely focused on making the conversation about the U.S withdrawing from Syria. All in all this is an unprecedented event and one to watch closely.

10/ If a deal was to be brokered it would be a coup both for Damascus and for Trump if the terms are agreeable, that’s a big if though, and it remains to be seen whether or not Damascus has any hostages or the will to make a deal.

11/ Several interesting observations and insights from official Syrian sources in this al-Watan Article https://www.facebook.com/AlWatanNewspaper.sy