Syrian leader to meet Macron in first European visit

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday meets France’s Emmanuel Macron in Paris on his first visit to Europe since overthrowing longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

The visit comes with Syria’s new authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network, under pressure from Europe to show they are serious about protecting human rights as Damascus seeks the full lifting of Assad-era sanctions.

Sectarian clashes in March in which more than 1,700 people were killed, mostly among Assad’s…