London, MINA – The UK government has officially removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations, marking a significant shift in its foreign policy towards Syria. The decision, announced Tuesday, is part of broader efforts to engage with Syria’s new government, led by President Ahmed Al Sharaa, following the collapse of the Assad regime last year.
According to a government statement, an order has been laid in Parliament to de-proscribe HTS in order to facilitate “closer engagement” with Damascus. The Home Office stated that the move supports UK priorities including terrorism/">counter-terrorism cooperation, migration management, and the dismantling of Syria’s remaining chemical weapons stockpiles.
HTS, previously designated in 2017 as an alias of al-Qaeda, played a major role in the armed opposition against Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s civil war. Its delisting comes as diplomatic relations between the UK and Syria see a revival, highlighted by former Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Syria in July—the first high-level contact in over a decade.
In its statement, the UK government emphasized it will “continue to judge the new Syrian government on their actions, not on their words,” and reaffirmed its commitment to holding Damascus accountable for its role in terrorism/">counter-terrorism and regional stability.
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The UK also praised President Sharaa’s pledge to dismantle Assad-era chemical weapons infrastructure. The decision to de-proscribe HTS followed what officials described as “detailed consultation with operational partners and a robust assessment by the cross-government Proscription Review Group.”
The Home Office reiterated that public safety remains paramount and that the government “reserves the right to reassess proscription decisions in response to any emerging threats.”
With this move, 83 organizations remain on the UK’s list of proscribed groups under the Terrorism Act 2000. Earlier this year, the United States similarly removed HTS from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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