U.S. Cancels Terrorist Label for HTS

(MENAFN) The U.S. State Department has officially withdrawn the Foreign Terrorist Organization status from the al-Nusrah Front, more widely identified as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), according to a yet-to-be-published notice in the Federal Register dated Monday.

"In consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, I hereby revoke the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (and other aliases) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization," stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the document, which is slated for release on Tuesday.

Rubio clarified in a subsequent statement that the revocation would become effective Tuesday.

"Tomorrow's action follows the announced dissolution of HTS and the Syrian government’s commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms," Rubio explained, citing the development as a shift in regional dynamics.

He further noted, "This action also builds on the momentum of the June 30 Executive Order ‘Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions’ and recognizes the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa."

Since 2018, HTS has been categorized on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list.

The group was included as a successor to the al-Qaeda-linked faction Jabhat al-Nusra.

This policy reversal came in the wake of President Donald Trump’s directive to terminate American sanctions and the associated national emergency concerning Syria.

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