Britain ends terrorist designation of Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham
The UK government has removed Hay’at Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) from its list of proscribed terrorist organisations, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government last year.
Home Office officials confirmed the move late on Monday, saying it reflected “significant developments in Syria” since the overthrow of Assad in December 2024.
Britain first banned HTS in 2017, as an alias of al-Qaeda’s former Syrian affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra.
The proscription made it a criminal offence in the UK to belong to, support, or meet with members of the group.
“The UK’s engagement with the new Syrian authorities will be guided by our national security priorities,” the Home Office said in a statement.
Britain’s decision to de-proscribe HTS follows a similar move earlier this year by Washington as part of a broader attempt to re-engage with the new Syrian government, led by HTS’s long-time leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
British officials stated that their move to remove the proscription does not reflect political support for HTS, but rather a reassessment of the group’s role and the current threat environment.
“The government keeps all proscription decisions under review,” the Home Office said.
“If new evidence of terrorism emerges, proscription can be reimposed.”
Formed in early 2017, HTS emerged from the merger of several factions in Syria’s Idlib province, including Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, a successor to the Nusra Front.
First aligned with Al-Qaeda, the group announced a formal break from the network the same year, claiming it had rejected transnational fighting and sought instead to focus on Syria’s internal conflict
HTS went on to control much of northwest Syria, operating a de facto administration through its “Salvation government”.
In December 2024, HTS and its allies overthrew the Assad government of Syria in a lightning offensive that first saw the fall of the northern city of Aleppo and later the capital Damascus.
Assad and his family fled to Moscow.
The UK’s decision to de-proscribe HTS leaves 83 organisations still listed as terrorist groups under the Terrorist Act 2000.
