Syria: UK government considering removing HTS from terror list

The British government is considering removing Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from its list of designated terrorist organisations following the group's victory in Syria.

Speaking to the BBC a day after HTS-led rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad, UK government minister Pat McFadden said any move to delist the former al-Qaeda affiliate would be a "relatively swift decision" considering the fluid situation in Syria.

"The leader of that group has distanced himself away from some of the things that have been said in the past," McFadden told the BBC's Today programme.

"He is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about protecting people's rights. So we'll look at that in the days to come."

HTS is listed by the UK's Home Office as an "alternative name" for al-Qaeda, the armed group that carried out the 11 September 2001 World Trade Centre attacks.

In 2016, HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (real name Ahmed al-Sharaa) publicly broke with al-Qaeda and has since then pledged protection for minorities and to respect Syria's diversity.

Middle East Eye contacted the Home Office for comment, but had received no response at time of publication.

A senior Arab official briefed by the US told Middle East Eye on Sunday that US officials were also discussing the merits of removing a $10m bounty on Jolani.

McFadden told the BBC that there had been "no request" for Assad's London-born and raised wife, Asma al-Assad - a British passport holder - to return to the UK.

"They're in Russia. They've sought asylum there, refuge there, as far as I know. So, it's not an issue that's come up."