Shafaq News- Washington

The United States removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism and lifted terrorism-related sanctions on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the State Department said on Monday.

The department also revoked HTS’s designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization, while the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed the group from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List. The measures mean US persons no longer need OFAC authorization to conduct transactions or activities with HTS, provided they do not involve sanctioned individuals or other prohibited activities.

At the same time, OFAC designated two former HTS affiliates, Saad Bin Saad Muhammad Shariyan al-Kaabi and Jamal Husayn Zayniyah, over their alleged links to al-Qaeda and Hurras al-Din, respectively. Both had previously faced US sanctions over their ties to HTS.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, Western governments began rolling back sanctions imposed on Syria during the civil war. The measures had targeted the former government over human rights abuses, alleged war crimes, chemical weapons use, and other activities, with Washington enforcing restrictions through executive orders and laws including the Caesar Act, the Syria Accountability Act, and the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act.

HTS, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, faced separate terrorism-related restrictions because of its origins as an al-Qaeda affiliate. Washington designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, while the UN and EU also imposed measures targeting the group and its members.

The United States began easing economic restrictions after the political transition in Damascus, using licenses and other administrative measures to facilitate economic activity, basic services, humanitarian assistance, and reconstruction. US lawmakers also pursued legislation to repeal sanctions laws enacted against the former government.

The UN and the United Kingdom lifted or suspended restrictions on Syria, while Washington took a further step in July 2025 by revoking HTS’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Read more: Hope and hurdles: Syria reacts to unexpected US sanctions relief