Britain delists former Al-Qaeda affiliate HTS to enable cooperation with Syria’s new leadership after Assad’s ouster and advance postwar stabilization efforts.
In a historic foreign policy shift, the British government on Tuesday announced the removal of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a former Al-Qaeda affiliate — from its list of proscribed terrorist organizations, Reuters reported. The move comes after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s autocratic regime and the rise of a new transitional government in Syria led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former head of HTS.
HTS, once infamous for its jihadist roots and brutal insurgency, spearheaded the Syrian rebel coalition that ultimately toppled Assad, ending over two decades of his authoritarian rule. The UK had designated HTS a terrorist organization in 2017, making it illegal to support or finance the group.
The British Home Office stated that the delisting is intended to pave the way for direct diplomatic engagement with Syria’s new leadership and to coordinate efforts to dismantle Assad’s remaining chemical weapons infrastructure.
“The UK will continue to press for genuine progress and hold the Syrian government accountable for its actions in fighting terrorism and restoring stability in Syria and the wider region,” the statement read.
The decision aligns with the United States, which under President Donald Trump revoked HTS’s foreign terrorist designation in July 2025, citing the group’s “organizational transformation” and “commitment to counterterror cooperation” following Assad’s downfall.
Western officials emphasize that the delisting does not signify blanket approval of HTS’s past actions but reflects a pragmatic recognition of Syria’s new political reality — one where the priority is stability, disarmament, and countering Iranian militias still active across the region.
British and American policymakers see the emerging Damascus administration as a potential buffer against both Iranian expansionism and residual ISIS cells, underscoring the geopolitical recalibration taking place across the Middle East after Assad’s ouster.
For Israel, the development carries both opportunity and caution: a weakened Assad regime reduces Tehran’s foothold near the Golan Heights, yet engagement with a rebranded HTS-led government demands careful monitoring to ensure it does not revert to radicalism under international legitimacy.
