US Removes Syria from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism

On Monday (August 24), the US State Department said HTS had been removed from the list of designated global terrorist organizations. The group was also removed from the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list. As a result, US citizens and companies will be able to engage in transactions with HTS, provided those transactions do not involve sanctioned individuals or prohibited activities.

However, the United States has imposed new sanctions on two former HTS members, Saad bin Saad Muhammad Shariyan al-Kaabi and Jamal Hussein Zainiyah. They have been accused of having links to al-Qaeda and Hurras al-Din.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Western countries gradually began lifting or easing various sanctions on Syria. Washington has also relaxed sanctions in several rounds to help revive Syria’s economy and facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts amid the country’s new political landscape.

The United States had previously maintained a hard-line position toward HTS. The group was designated as a terrorist organization because of its historical ties to al-Qaeda. However, following the political changes in Syria, Washington has gradually moved away from that position.

Source: Shafaq News