The potential normalization of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continues, with reports indicating that the United States and the United Kingdom are considering removing the group from their respective terrorist designation lists. HTS, which gained control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, following the departure of Bashar al-Assad’s government, has been classified as a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and countries including Canada and Turkey.
In recent years, HTS has adopted a more “moderate” tone in its messaging. In a 2021 interview with PBS, HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani stated, “Our message to [the U.S.] is short. We don’t pose a threat to you here, so you don’t need to classify people as terrorists and announce rewards for killing them.” Jolani also suggested the possibility of finding “common ground” with the United States to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria and address the mass displacement of refugees affecting Turkey and Europe.
The Washington Post recently highlighted discussions within the Biden administration about reassessing HTS’s classification. According to an article by Michael Birnbaum titled Biden Administration Won’t Rule Out Removing HTS from Terror List, a senior White House official stated that delisting HTS could pave the way for a more pragmatic relationship with the group. The official, who spoke anonymously, emphasized the importance of understanding the “realities on the ground” in Syria.
“We need to be smart, careful, and pragmatic,” the official said, adding that the primary focus remains on monitoring chemical weapons in Syria. The U.S. government has expressed confidence that the chemical weapons situation is under control and continues efforts to prevent further conflict involving the Turkish military, the Syrian National Army (SNA), and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s northeast.
The U.K. is reportedly considering a similar policy shift. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Pat McFadden, speaking to Sky News, confirmed that the U.K. government would review HTS’s status. “Countries around the world, including the U.S. and European nations, are reassessing their positions,” McFadden stated.
This sentiment was echoed by former MI6 chief John Sawers, who described HTS as a “liberation movement, not a terrorist organization.” The Home Office also acknowledged that HTS’s relationship with al-Qaeda, its former affiliate, has evolved since the group was banned in 2017.
