The US plans to remove the Syrian Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of foreign terrorist organisations on Tuesday, a State Department memo reveals.
In December, the organisation led a rebel offensive that ousted Syria’s 54-year-old Assad dictatorship. Its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is now the country’s provisional president.
HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, was originally al-Qaeda’s Syrian offshoot until its relationship with al-Sharaa ended in 2016.
In recent months, Western countries have attempted to re-establish relations with Syria, which has experienced severe sanctions aimed at the previous regime.
In late June, President Trump signed an executive order formally ending US sanctions against the country, stating that the move was meant to promote the country’s “path to stability and peace”.
It said that it would follow the new Syrian government’s actions, including “taking concrete steps towards normalising relations with Israel”, “addressing foreign terrorists”, and “banning Palestinian terrorist groups”.
Syria’s Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shibani, stated that the decision would “lift the obstacle” to economic recovery and open the country to the world community.
Syria said Friday it was willing to work with the US to re-implement a 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel.
David Lammy, the UK Foreign Secretary, visited Syria over the weekend, becoming the first British official to go there in 14 years.
He met with al-Sharaa and announced an additional £94.5 million aid package focused on long-term recovery and countries assisting Syrian refugees.
The UK previously removed sanctions against Syria’s defence and interior ministries.
When the Assad dictatorship was deposed following 13 years of horrific civil war, 90% of Syria’s population fell into poverty.
Al-Sharaa has promised a new Syria, but there are reservations in the country about how the new government is running, with some questioning his extreme history.
Only one female cabinet minister has been selected thus far, and al-Sharaa has made practically all other appointments himself.
There have also been some violent attacks on minority groups in recent months.
In March, battles between new security forces and Assad loyalists murdered hundreds of civilians from the minority Alawite sect.
In April, there were violent battles between Islamist armed organisations, security forces, and Druze fighters. In June, at least 25 people were killed in a suicide attack on a church in Damascus.
