UK officials held a meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new Syrian leader and former head of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), according to Arab media.
Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, met with delegates from the British Foreign Office. He emphasised the need to rebuild shattered state institutions, which must be based on law and security. The new state leader called for the lifting of international sanctions to allow Syrian refugees around the world to return home.
Earlier, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that the UK government had established “diplomatic contact” with the HTS. The militant group has been considered a prohibited terrorist organisation in the UK since 2017.
We will judge them on their actions. We want to see a representative government, an inclusive government in Syria.
The UK also committed £50m (€60.5m) in humanitarian aid to Syria and Syrian refugees. The package included £30 million for food, shelter and emergency medical care. Lebanon and Jordan would receive £10 million each through the World Food Programme and UNHCR.
US President Joe Biden’s administration is also reassessing the status of HTS, with Biden stating that the US would evaluate “not just their words, but their actions.”
