US Plans To Delist Syria’s HTS As Foreign Terror Group
US Plans To Delist Syria’s HTS As Foreign Terror Group

In a significant policy shift, the United States is preparing to remove Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a prominent Syrian Islamist faction, from its list of designated terrorist organizations. This decision, revealed in a State Department document, is expected to be officially announced on Tuesday.

After decades of Assad family dominance, Syria has entered an uncertain new chapter following a successful rebel uprising in December that ousted the regime after 54 years in power. Leading the transition is Ahmed al-Sharaa, commander of the rebel coalition HTS, who now serves as interim president.

HTS, once known as the al-Nusra Front, operated as al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria until al-Sharaa distanced the group from its parent network in 2016, repositioning it with a focus on national governance rather than global jihad.

The dramatic political shift has prompted a cautious opening from Western governments that long kept Damascus under strict sanctions. In a significant policy reversal last month, President Trump signed an executive order lifting US sanctions on Syria, describing the decision as a means to help the country “pursue a path to stability and peace.”

However, Washington has tied future cooperation to concrete actions from the new leadership, including rebuilding diplomatic ties with Israel, addressing foreign militant presence, and dismantling Palestinian armed factions operating within Syria.

Responding to these overtures, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani welcomed the easing of sanctions, saying it would clear the way for economic recovery and restore Syria’s position in the international community.

Further signalling a desire for regional normalisation, Damascus indicated last Friday that it is ready to revive the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel.

Diplomatic momentum continued into the weekend as UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Damascus, becoming the first British cabinet minister to set foot in Syria in 14 years – a visit seen as a symbolic gesture of cautious re-engagement with the country’s new political reality.

It added it would monitor the new Syrian government’s actions including “taking concrete steps toward normalising ties with Israel” as well as “addressing foreign terrorists” and “banning Palestinian terrorist groups”.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said the move would “lift the obstacle” to economic recovery and open the country to the international community.

On Friday, Syria said it was willing to cooperate with the US to reimplement a 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel.

Over the weekend, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Syria – the first government minister to do so in 14 years.

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During his visit to Damascus, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy held talks with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and unveiled a fresh £94.5 million aid package designed to bolster Syria’s long-term reconstruction efforts and assist neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees.

This gesture followed Britain’s earlier decision to lift sanctions targeting Syria’s defence and interior ministries, signalling a gradual diplomatic thaw.

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime after years of brutal civil conflict has left deep scars, with an estimated 90 percent of Syrians now living below the poverty line. While al-Sharaa has pledged to steer the nation towards a new era of stability, scepticism remains high within Syria, given his militant history.

Critics have pointed to the makeup of his government as a worrying indicator of the future. To date, only one woman has been appointed to a ministerial position, while al-Sharaa has personally overseen nearly every other key appointment, raising concerns about inclusivity and checks on his authority.

Recent months have also seen a rise in targeted violence against minority communities. In March, fierce clashes between security forces loyal to the new government and remnants of Assad’s Alawite loyalists left hundreds dead. April saw deadly confrontations involving Islamist militias, security forces, and members of the Druze community, while June brought a suicide bombing at a Damascus church that claimed at least 25 lives.

While al-Sharaa’s administration continues to position itself as a force for national renewal, the wave of unrest and exclusion has left many Syrians questioning whether genuine change is truly underway.

Africa Today News, New York