The decision came after a formal order was submitted to the UK Parliament to remove the organization from the list of proscribed groups, paving the way for deeper engagement with Damascus as part of the United Kingdom’s foreign policy priorities, which include counterterrorism, migration control, and efforts to address chemical weapons programs.

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was first designated in 2017 as an alias of al-Qaeda. However, political and field developments in Syria — particularly the rise of the government led by President Ahmad al-Shar’a — have prompted London to reconsider its stance.

The British government said the decision followed “careful consultations with operational partners and relevant departments, as well as a comprehensive assessment conducted by the cross-government Proscription Review Group.”

It emphasized that “the safety and national security of the United Kingdom remain top priorities, and this decision was not taken lightly.”