07.07.2025 18:23
The U.S. Department of State has removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a group that played an active role in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and was formerly led by the Syrian President Ahmed Shara, from its list of terrorist organizations.
Another notable step has come from the United States, which lifted sanctions against Syria after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
AND REMOVED HTS FROM THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIST
The United States removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is among the opposition groups that overthrew the Assad regime and was formerly led by Syrian President Ahmed Shara, from its list of terrorist organizations. The U.S. Department of State announced that it would review the inclusion of HTS on the terrorist list in accordance with the directive of U.S. President Donald Trump and would consider completely suspending the Caesar Act sanctions against Syria.
The White House announced on June 30 that U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end the U.S. sanctions program against Syria.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in a press briefing that this step aims to support Syria's "path to stability and peace."
SHARA-TRUMP MEETING
In May, during an investment forum held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Trump announced that he would lift the "harsh and destructive" sanctions imposed on Syria.
One day after this announcement, Trump met with the new temporary leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Shara, in a meeting that took place between U.S. and Syrian leadership for the first time in 25 years.
After the meeting, both sides provided positive messages regarding regional cooperation and the reconstruction process.
HAYAT TAHRIR AL-SHAM
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was an armed group that played a significant role in the Syrian civil war. However, it was announced in January 2025 that it was disbanded and that its members would become part of "state institutions."
HTS was formed in 2017 through the merger of various groups. It primarily operated in the Idlib region in northwestern Syria and attempted to establish a governance structure there. During this process, it focused on severing ties with global organizations, localizing, and creating a state structure.
SHARA WAS THE LEADER OF HTS
The de facto leader of the group, who is now the President of Syria, is Ahmed Shara. He became the de facto leader of the country after the fall of the Assad regime and officially took office as president in January 2025.
Many countries and international organizations, including the U.S., European Union, Russia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Turkey, had designated HTS as a terrorist organization. However, following developments such as the lifting of sanctions imposed on post-Assad Syria, discussions and evaluations regarding the removal of HTS from terrorist lists were also made. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria suggested that international powers should consider removing HTS from the list.
PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE FALL OF ASSAD
HTS was at the forefront of the coalition that played a leading role in the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024. After taking control of Damascus and other major cities, it announced its disbandment at the "Syria Revolution Victory Conference" held in Damascus on January 29, 2025, and that it would become part of "state institutions" along with other armed groups.