The U.S. has shared classified intelligence with the new Syrian government, according to the Washington Post.

The United States shared classified intelligence data with the new Syrian authorities. This information pertained to threats from the terrorist organization "Islamic State."

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing an article from The Washington Post.

According to unnamed American officials who spoke to the newspaper, intelligence data helped thwart an attack by "Islamic State" militants on a religious site near Damascus in early January.

"This is the right, prudent, and appropriate action, considering there was credible, specific information (regarding the threat from 'Islamic State'), and in conjunction with our efforts to build relations with these guys," said a former U.S. official.

The intelligence sharing, as reported by the newspaper, occurred through direct contact with the new Syrian authorities rather than through third parties. According to an anonymous former official, this exchange began about two weeks after the rebels came to power.

According to the newspaper, after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, the administration of then-President Joe Biden cautiously began to engage with the rebels and their leader Ahmad al-Sharaa. It remains unclear what policy towards Syria will be adopted by the new American president Donald Trump, but he had previously signaled a reluctance to intervene in its affairs.

The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States declined to comment on the information regarding data exchanges with Syria, the newspaper noted. However, as explained by one former official, such intelligence-sharing practices are common for the U.S.

"We share intelligence with the Russians. We share intelligence with the Iranians when we have specific threats, and in some cases, we are obligated to warn... Even if our interests do not fully align, in certain instances we are required to share intelligence," he said.

The Fall of Assad's Regime in Syria

Last autumn, an uprising erupted in Syria, which was the result of years of civil war. The uprising, led in part by the group "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" along with Ahmad al-Sharaa, resulted in the dictator Bashar al-Assad fleeing Syria and power shifting to the Syrian people.

Shortly after this, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga visited Damascus. He also met with the de facto new leader of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa. For more details about the trip and its outcomes, read in the article by RBK-Ukraine.