UK Removes “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” from Terrorist Organizations List

The British government announced on Tuesday that it has removed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations, in a move it said aims to enhance cooperation with the new Syrian government on security and counterterrorism matters.

In a statement, the UK Home Office said the decision “reflects London’s commitment to supporting its foreign and domestic priorities, including combating terrorism, illegal migration, and the destruction of chemical weapons.”

The statement added that the former UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to Damascus last July restored diplomatic relations between the two countries after a break that lasted over a decade.

The British government stressed that it “will continue to assess the new Syrian government based on its actions, not its words,” noting that the de-listing will support efforts to combat ISIS and strengthen cooperation on the removal of chemical weapons in Syria.