UK Removes Syria’s HTS from Terrorist Organisations List After U.S. Move

The United Kingdom has officially removed Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organisations, a decision that follows the United States’ revocation of the group’s terrorist designation earlier in July.

According to a joint statement by the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office, the decision which has been laid before Parliament is aimed at enabling “closer engagement with the new Syrian authorities” and supporting efforts to dismantle the Assad regime’s chemical weapons programme.

HTS, which was previously known as the Al-Nusra Front and served as Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, was first listed as a terrorist organisation by the UK in 2017. The group officially severed ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016 and has since sought to rebrand itself as an independent Syrian movement.

The development comes amid shifting international attitudes toward Syria following years of conflict. Western governments, including Britain and the U.S., have begun cautiously re-evaluating their positions as new power structures emerge in the war-torn country.

Reuters reports that HTS, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has consolidated control over large parts of northwestern Syria and has been moving to establish civil governance structures in those territories.

The British government said it will continue to monitor the situation closely while ensuring that humanitarian and diplomatic engagement in Syria aligns with international law and global counterterrorism commitments.