Damascus (Syria), 29 May (LaPresse) – The residence of the US ambassador in Damascus, Syria, which had been closed for some time, has reopened as Washington re-establishes relations with the country. Today, the US flag was raised outside the ambassador's residence to symbolise the strengthening of ties between Washington and the new Syrian government. The US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who has also been appointed special envoy to Syria, arrived to inaugurate the residence, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. Washington has not formally reopened its embassy in Damascus, which was closed in 2012 after protests against the government of then-President Bashar Assad were brutally suppressed and led to civil war. But Barrack's visit and the raising of the flag were a significant sign of improved relations.
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