From Qaeda to Power: The Story Behind the Lifting of the Terrorist Designation for Syria's HTS

 On Monday, July 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced the removal of the terrorist designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), ending a twelve-year classification and targeting campaign.

In his statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared:

“In accordance with President Trump’s pledge on May 13 to ease sanctions on Syria, I am announcing my intention to remove the designation of Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act, effective (today) July 8.”

After launching military operations against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the United States designated Jabhat al-Nusra a terrorist organization on December 10, 2012, viewing it as an extension of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

In April 2013, Abu Mohammad al-Julani (Ahmad al-Sharaa) refused to merge with the Islamic State of Iraq and pledged allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of Al-Qaeda. In 2016, he announced his disassociation from Al-Qaeda and ended the pledge.

According to the statement:

“This action, officially adopted today, follows the announcement of the disbandment of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian government's commitment to countering terrorism in all its forms. It also builds on the momentum created by the executive order issued on June 30, which lifted certain sanctions on Syria, acknowledging the positive steps taken by the new Syrian government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa. This removal of the foreign terrorist designation is a key step toward realizing President Trump’s vision for a stable, unified, and peaceful Syria.”

With this decision, the U.S. designation is lifted from Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and at least three of his ministers: Interior Minister Anas Khattab, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra. However, the international designation issued by the United Nations in May 2013 remains in effect, alongside reports that the U.S. is preparing a draft resolution in the Security Council to lift that designation—facing Chinese opposition.

It remains unclear whether individuals imprisoned in Germany for affiliation with the group will be released following this decision.

Secretary Rubio also condemned violence against minorities after the coastal unrest, urging the Sharaa government to hold perpetrators accountable. Meanwhile, Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, stated in an interview that he had “never seen a successful jihadist leader become a democrat or believe in representative government.”

Israeli political and military officials have repeatedly voiced concern over Syria’s “new jihadist-led government.”

These official U.S. statements came before President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia on May 13, 2025, where he met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and later announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria.

Jabhat al-Nusra had engaged in intense battles with the Assad regime and its allies, especially Hezbollah, throughout its jihadist transformation, eventually leading to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham overthrowing the Assad regime on December 8, 2024.

Its confrontations extended beyond Assad’s forces—defeating Kurdish YPG forces in July 2013 and capturing the city of Ras al-Ayn after bitter fighting.

Moumin Sawady