U.S. Drops Syrian Group HTS from Terrorist Listing

(MENAFN) The State Department has eliminated the terrorist designation for al-Nusrah Front, widely recognized as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), based on an unpublished Federal Register notice released Monday.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," Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared in the notice bearing a June 23 date and set for Tuesday publication.

The removal becomes effective Tuesday, Rubio confirmed in a subsequent statement.

"Tomorrow's action follows the announced dissolution of HTS and the Syrian government's commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms," Rubio stated.

"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," he continued.

Since 2018, HTS has remained on America's Foreign Terrorist Organization registry, initially added when authorities expanded the existing classification of its predecessor organization, the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra.

This move comes after President Donald Trump's decision to end American sanctions and the national emergency declaration concerning Syria.

During an investment conference in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on May 13, Trump revealed plans to remove the "brutal and crippling" sanctions targeting Syria.

The following day witnessed a historic encounter between Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia—representing the first diplomatic meeting between American and Syrian leadership in 25 years.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria's ruler for almost 25 years, escaped to Russia on December 8, 2024, concluding the Baath Party's extensive reign that commenced in 1963.

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