The UK government has officially removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations, according to an order laid before Parliament.

This means HTS will no longer be subject to offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 related to membership or providing support. The UK government, under Keir Starmer, has stated that the move allows for more effective diplomatic engagement with Syria’s new de facto government and strengthens UK efforts on ‘counterterrorism,’ migration, and chemical weapons disarmament.

The Home Office stated the decision allegedly followed a comprehensive review and cross-government consultation, with the option to re-list the group if necessary. HTS was initially designated as an alias of Al-Qaeda in 2017, but the government now says the group’s status and affiliations have significantly changed amid shifting political realities in Syria, despite ongoing sectarian attacks against Syria’s historic minority religious groups.

GOV.uk

The Cradle Media report