The United States will formally revoke the foreign terrorist organisation designation for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the al-Nusra Front, in a landmark policy shift recognising Syria’s new leadership, according to Politico.
The decision, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and scheduled for publication on Tuesday, follows President Donald Trump’s directive last month to lift sanctions supporting “the country’s path to stability and peace.”
This dual approach marks a dramatic rehabilitation for the group whose leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, now presides over Syria after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Rubio justified the move by citing “the announced dissolution of HTS and the Syrian government’s commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms.” The group, designated a terrorist entity since 2018, was once al-Qaeda’s official Syrian branch before declaring itself an “independent entity” following al-Sharaa’s break with the network in 2016.
The decision aligns with Trump’s broader Middle East recalibration, including his controversial 14 May meeting with al-Sharaa in Riyadh where he praised the Syrian president as a “young, attractive guy” and a “fighter”.
Young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter. He’s got a real shot at holding it together.
The policy shift follows intensive diplomacy by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirming trilateral talks between US, Syrian and Turkish officials to implement sanctions relief.
The sanctions lifting triggered spontaneous celebrations in Damascus, where residents waved flags and set off fireworks, hopeful for economic recovery after 14 years of civil war.
Al-Sharaa’s ascent represents one of modern diplomacy’s rehabilitations. Prior to ousting al-Assad, he led HTS militants against US forces in Iraq, spent five years in American detention, and carried a $10 million US bounty until its removal in December 2024.
The Trump administration’s fact sheet asserts that “recent positive changes and actions taken by the Government of Syria demonstrate promise for a stable and peaceful future.” However, the move strained relations with Israel, which remained deeply sceptical of the Islamist-led government and intensified airstrikes in Syria.
The terrorist designation revocation now removes the final legal barrier to Syria’s international reintegration.
