Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Damascus on Thursday and met newly declared transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in the first visit by a head of state to the Syrian capital since Bashar al-Assad was toppled on Dec.

Visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani emphasized the "urgent need" to form an inclusive Syrian government during a meeting Thursday with the country's new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa,

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions with a Qatari delegation in Damascus Thursday included reconstruction in the war-torn country, during the first visit by a head of state since Bashar al-Assad's ouster.

Qatar's Emir arrived in Damascus, marking his first visit to Syria since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday. Reuters

Qatar's emir has travelled to Damascus on Thursday, Al Jazeera and the Syrian embassy said, becoming the first head of state to visit since the toppling of long-time president Bashar al-Assad. Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar did not restore diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad since the Syrian uprising in 2011.

There has been growing engagement between Qatar and Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, with high-level visits taking place between both countries. Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Damascus on Thursday, the first visit by a head of state to the Syrian capital since the Dec. 8 fall of President Bashar al-Assad to an Islamist rebel offensive.