U.K. could consider removing ban on Syrian militant group HTS

U.K. considers lifting ban on militant group HTS in Syria, pending stability and protection of minorities.

The U.K. could lift a ban on the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led to the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. The group had been proscribed in 2017 for its links with al-Qaeda.

U.K. Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden told BBC Radio4 that the government would make a “relatively swift decision” about lifting the ban, if the situation in Syria stabilised. The HTS is also a designated terrorist organisation in the U.S.

“A lot will depend on whether the statements about the protection of minorities and citizens are backed up,” Mr. McFadden said.

“It’s a very fluid situation. No one is certain about what will happen,” he added.

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Mr. McFadden also told Times Radio that the U.K. “can consider” lifting the ban, if HTS ends up “taking over” Syria.

“The new leader [Abu Muhammad al-] Jolani is saying the right things and making the right noises just now but I think every country will be calculating how do we deal with what happens there next,” Mr. McFadden said. Jolani was chosen by then Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.