The British government has removed “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (currently dissolved) from the United Kingdom’s list of proscribed terrorist organisations, according to an order submitted to Parliament, in a move London described as laying the groundwork for closer cooperation with Syria’s new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The order, issued on Tuesday, 21 October, by the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), came in response to what the government called “major developments in Syria” since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
In its statement, the government said lifting the proscription would support UK foreign-policy priorities, from counterterrorism and migration to the destruction of chemical weapons.
The statement noted that “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” was placed on the UK terrorism list in 2017 as an alias for al-Qaeda, but that recent shifts on the Syrian scene prompted London to revisit that designation.
The step follows a July visit to Damascus by a former British foreign secretary, which restored diplomatic relations after more than a decade of rupture.
London said it would “judge the new Syrian government by its actions, not its words,” stressing continued pressure to achieve “tangible progress and accountability for the Syrian authorities’ commitments to combat terrorism and restore stability in Syria and the region.”
According to the statement, the Islamic State group (ISIS) still poses a significant threat inside Syria, and London believes removing “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” from the list will help bolster joint efforts to fight ISIS and reduce risks to UK security.
The government also said the decision will strengthen cooperation with Damascus on dismantling chemical weapons, welcoming President al-Sharaa’s pledge to eliminate, once and for all, the chemical-weapons programme left by the former regime.
The UK decision aligns with a similar US move earlier this year to remove “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
London underlined that “protecting the security of British citizens remains an absolute priority,” adding that the decision followed “careful consultations across departments and partners, and a comprehensive assessment by the government’s Joint Proscription Review Team.”
It also emphasised that it “reserves the right to re-impose the ban if new threats emerge,” vowing to take “swift and decisive measures to protect national security.”
Under the decision, penalties under the Terrorism Act 2000 tied to membership in, or support for, a proscribed organisation will no longer apply to “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.”
UK restores relations with Syria
The United Kingdom formally restored relations with Syria during a 5 July visit to Damascus by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who met the Syrian president for the transitional period, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
At the time, Minister Asaad al-Shibani received an invitation to visit the UK to work on reopening Syria’s embassy in London, according to Syrian state television.
The two sides agreed to establish a Syrian-British Economic Council. Lammy conveyed the UK’s commitment to support Syria’s agriculture and education sectors.
“There is renewed hope for the Syrian people,” Lammy said in a statement. “The UK is restoring diplomatic relations because it is in our interest to support the new government in meeting its commitments to build a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for all Syrians.”
On X, Lammy welcomed progress in Syria and stressed the need for an inclusive, representative political transition.
The UK’s Syria account on X said Britain would provide £94.5 million ($129 million) for recovery, education, and humanitarian aid, in addition to £2 million ($2.7 million) to eliminate chemical weapons.
Sanctions relief as a first step
In April, the British government lifted asset freezes on 12 Syrian entities, including the Ministries of Defence and Interior and several intelligence agencies.
A Treasury notice removed the following Syrian entities from the consolidated sanctions list, meaning their assets are no longer frozen:
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Office
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Office
General Organization of Radio and Television
Al-Watan newspaper
Sham Press TV
Sama TV
On 6 March, Britain removed 24 Syrian entities from its sanctions list and lifted their asset freezes, including the Central Bank of Syria, the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, al-Furat Petroleum, the Commercial Bank of Syria, the Syrian Central Bank, Deir Ez Zor Petroleum Company, Dijla, and Ebla—two oil companies.
The UK also lifted sanctions on the General Organization of Tobacco, the Syrian Petroleum Company, Mahroukat (the state fuel distributor), the General Petroleum Corporation for Foreign Trade, the Commercial Bank of Syria, and the General Organization for the Postal Savings Fund.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the British decision to remove 24 Syrian entities from its sanctions list, calling it a positive step that would provide necessary relief for the Syrian people and help facilitate the country’s economic and political recovery.
UK Removes “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” from Terrorism List Enab Baladi.
Hence then, the article about uk removes hayat tahrir al sham from terrorism list was published today ( ) and is available on ُEnabbaladi ( Syria ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( UK Removes “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” from Terrorism List )
Also on site :
- Supermarket timings for Boxing Day and New Year revealed for Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl and more
- ABL Bio Receives Upfront Payment for License, Research and Collaboration Agreement for Grabody Platform and Equity Investment from Lilly
- Japanese social media influencer charged with tax evasion