London, UK – The UK Home Office, in cooperation with the Foreign Office, announced today (Tuesday) the removal of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the UK’s list of banned terrorist organizations.
This is in preparation for a new phase of diplomatic engagement with the new Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Who took power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last December.
The British government said in an official statement that this decision comes as part of a comprehensive review of the new Syrian reality.
Noting that renaming Tahrir al-Sham aims to support London’s priorities in counterterrorism, migration, and the destruction of chemical weapons.
The roots of the group: The roots of “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” go back to 2012 when it was founded under the name “Jabhat al-Nusra”
As a branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria led by Abu Muhammad al-Julani,
Which later split from Al-Qaeda and announced the formation of “Tahrir al-Sham” in 2017,
In an attempt to present itself as a local Syrian force with a national agenda, rather than one that is transnational.
Since then, the movement has controlled large areas in northwestern Syria, especially Idlib Governorate.
It established what is known as the “Salvation Government” as a civilian arm to administer the areas under its control.
Despite its attempts to change its image and adopt a moderate discourse, it remained on the terrorist lists.
This applies to the United States, Britain, and the United Nations, until the end of 2025.
With the fall of the Assad regime and the formation of a new transitional government led by Al-Sharaa – a former defector opposition leader –
The international stance towards the movement, which played a military and political role in toppling the regime, has changed.
The British position changed
The British decision came after extensive consultations between security agencies and the government’s “Ban Review Group.”
Which saw that “the field and political reality has changed radically,”
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has become part of the new legitimate authority in Syria, not a direct threat to the United Kingdom.
The statement added that “liberation from the embargo” allows Britain to enhance cooperation with the new Syrian government.
This is in the file of combating ISIS, and reducing the risks of terrorism and illegal immigration.
In addition to supporting efforts to destroy chemical weapons left behind by the former regime.
British-American consensus
The British decision comes months after a similar move by the United States,
Which removed Tahrir al-Sham from the list of foreign terrorist organizations at the beginning of this year,
In a sign of growing Western coordination to support stability in post-Assad Syria, the British statement stressed that any decision to lift the embargo “will not be taken lightly.”
He explained that it is “subject to review if new threats emerge,” and that the safety and security of British citizens remains the top priority.
This British shift is a turning point in the West’s relationship with Tahrir al-Sham.
Which has transitioned from a designated terrorist organization to a major political actor in the post-war Syrian period.
Observers believe that the decision carries within it a realistic recognition of the legitimacy of the de facto situation in northern Syria.
It reflects a Western desire to reengineer regional balances away from the influence of Iran and Russia.
