Overview
- An order laid in Parliament on Oct. 21 removes Hay’at Tahrir al‑Sham from the UK’s proscribed list, lifting Terrorism Act offences such as membership and inviting support for the group.
- The government says engagement with Damascus will support the counter‑Daesh mission, reduce migration pressures and help eliminate remnants of Assad‑era chemical weapons.
- Officials note the decision aligns with the United States’ earlier delisting and follows a July visit to Damascus that renewed UK‑Syria diplomatic relations.
- HTS, formerly listed in 2017 as an alias of al‑Qaida, led forces that toppled Bashar al‑Assad in December, and its leader Ahmed al‑Sharaa now serves as Syria’s interim president.
- Opposition figures, including Dame Priti Patel, are demanding an urgent Commons explanation, while ministers stress the review was cross‑government and say they can reassess if new threats emerge.