WASHINGTON — Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa arrived in the US capital on Saturday for an official visit, just two days after Washington formally removed him from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

Al-Sharaa is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Joint efforts to combat remnants of the Islamic State group in Syria are expected to top the agenda.

Hours before Al-Sharaa’s arrival, Syrian security services announced the arrest of 71 suspected ISIS members, along with the seizure of weapons and explosives.

Since taking power, Al-Sharaa has sought to reestablish Syria on the world stage after decades of isolation under Assad and 13 years of civil war.

He addressed the UN General Assembly in September, declaring that Syria was “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world,” and urged the lifting of international sanctions.

The UN Security Council this week backed a US resolution to remove several sanctions, coinciding with Washington’s ongoing rollback of restrictions on Syria and its new leaders.

On Friday, Al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab were removed from a US registry of individuals suspected of supporting extremist groups, a move the Treasury Department said reflected “progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership.”

Trump last met Al-Sharaa in May during a visit to Riyadh, describing him as a “tough guy, very strong past.”

Despite his background, Al-Sharaa has gained support from governments opposed to the Assad regime by pledging to form a moderate, inclusive government capable of winning backing from Syria’s ethnic and sectarian groups. — Agencies