US Plans to Remove Designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham as a Terrorist Organization

The United States is preparing to officially revoke its classification of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a foreign terrorist organization. HTS, an Islamist insurgent group, was responsible for overthrowing the Assad regime and has links to terrorist networks dating back to its roots as an offshoot of al-Qaeda. Its former leader notably became the President of Syria.

A forthcoming memo, scheduled to be published soon, details the decision to lift the designation, aligning with recent policy shifts including the previous week’s removal of sanctions on the Syrian government.

The move comes after diplomatic efforts by President Trump, who met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his Middle East tour in May. During that encounter, Trump praised al-Sharaa’s leadership and agreed to waive sanctions following requests from the Syrian leader, who is now seeking to stabilize the country amid fears of a return to sectarian conflict.

Al-Sharaa’s government struggles to maintain unity, especially as the country faces ongoing violence. Some US officials, including lawmakers like Marco Rubio, have warned that Syria could collapse into full-scale civil war within weeks if swift political and security measures are not taken.

HTS emerged from a split with al-Qaeda in 2016, later rebranding and merging into the group known now as HTS in 2017, which has historically fought alongside various Islamist factions in Syria. Its origins trace back to early conflicts with ISIS and efforts to establish a strict Islamist governance.

The Syrian leader has expressed intentions to rule for five more years and then hold elections, signaling a desire for stability and political legitimacy. Meanwhile, the US administration has highlighted recent positive steps by the Syrian government as signs of hope for a more peaceful future in the region.