UNSC to decide on removing Syria's HTS off terrorist list
3 Min Read
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham is the most prominent of the groups that deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
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Syrian fighters stand atop a seized military armored vehicle on the outskirts of Hama, Syria on December 3, 2024. (AP)
The United Nations Security Council will determine whether to remove the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) organization off the UN terrorist list later this month, according to Amar Bendjama, Algeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of January.
When asked if the Council will delist the HTS as a terrorist group, Bendjama responded by saying, "It will be up to the Council. We will have a meeting on Syria the eighth of this month."
According to Turkish media, an inclusive political conference might be held in Damascus on January 5 to proclaim the dissolution of HTS and the merger of all armed organizations into the Syrian Army.
Last month, current administration officials and a former top US official told NBC News that the Biden administration is considering lifting the foreign terrorist designation from Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the most prominent of the groups that deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
US President Joe Biden claimed credit for the fall of Damascus at the hands of the new government forces, which include Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), saying that Washington weakened the supporters of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Ahmad al-Sharaa (Al-Jolani), the leader of HTS, is the commander of the new regime forces' military operations room, and according to National Security Advisor John Kirby, there are currently no conversations about modifying the policy regarding HTS, but they are closely monitoring their actions.
In a similar vein, European Commission Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anouar El Anouni stated last month that the European Union will evaluate its next steps concerning the bloc's stance on Syria's new leadership in coordination with its member states, adding that the discussions will also involve the United Nations.
"Several member states have announced their readiness to work with Syrian opposition groups that took power on the basis of fundamental human rights. As for the EU, the next steps will be discussed by member states as well as in other frameworks, including the UN, since HTS [Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham] is under UN sanctions. We will assess the actual conduct, not just the words, of those exercising responsibilities, and then member states will decide on the next steps," Anouni told a midday briefing.
