Statements from the UN, EU, or other major countries

UK Considers Lifting 2017 Terrorist Designation of Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) After Assad Ouster

Dec 9, 2024, 07:39 AM

The UK government is contemplating the removal of Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations. HTS, which has been banned since 2017 due to its association with al-Qaeda, has played a significant role in the Syrian conflict, particularly in the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. Senior Cabinet minister Pat McFadden indicated that the government would need to reassess HTS's classification, citing a 'splintering' between HTS and al-Qaeda. No formal decision has been made yet regarding the lifting of the ban.