UK follows USA's suit, delists Syria's HTS designation

On October 21, the United Kingdom government announced its decision to remove Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of terrorist organizations, in response to major developments in Syria following the overthrow of the Assad regime last December by forces led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa. HTS had originally been listed in 2017 as an alias for al-Qaeda. The UK retains the right to reassess its designation decisions in response to emerging threats and will always act swiftly and decisively in the interest of national security.

In a statement on its official website, the government said the delisting signals closer cooperation with the new Syrian government. The decision supports the UK’s domestic and foreign priorities, including counterterrorism, migration, and the elimination of chemical weapons.

ISIS remains a significant threat in Syria. Lifting the ban on HTS is expected to enhance the UK’s coordination on counterterrorism missions, thereby reducing the group’s threat to the United Kingdom.

The removal of HTS from the banned list also facilitates closer collaboration with Syria to dismantle Assad’s chemical weapons program. The UK government welcomed President al-Sharaa’s commitment to permanently destroy these weapons.

This decision aligns with the United States’ earlier announcement this year to remove HTS from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

The former UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to Syria in July marked a renewal of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Syria. The UK will continue to press for:

• Genuine progress
• Accountability from the Syrian government in counterterrorism and regional stabilization
• Judging the Syrian government by its actions, not its words

Removing HTS from the banned list means that offenses outlined in the Terrorism Act 2000—such as membership in a proscribed organization or promoting its support—no longer apply to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.

HTS, under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa, led a coalition of Syrian armed opposition factions in a final battle last year that resulted in the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia. President al-Sharaa assumed power amid the lifting of Western sanctions and the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and refugees to their homes after fourteen years of devastating war.

Syria news report