UK May Remove HTS from Terror List After Assad's Fall, Pending Group's Behavior

Dec 9, 2024, 08:49 AM

The UK government is considering removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations following the group's role in overthrowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. HTS, an Islamist militant group with historical ties to al-Qaeda, led the recent offensive that resulted in the toppling of the Assad regime after decades in power. Senior Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden stated that the government would review HTS's status, saying, "We'll consider it, depending on how they behave now." HTS was banned in the UK in 2017 as an alias of al-Qaeda but has since become a leading force among Syrian rebel factions.