logo
US revoking ‘terrorist' designation for Syrian HTS group that overthrew Assad

US revoking ‘terrorist' designation for Syrian HTS group that overthrew Assad

The United States on Monday announced it was revoking its designation as a 'foreign terrorist organisation' of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group once linked to al-Qaeda that toppled Syria's government in December.
Advertisement
'In consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, I hereby revoke the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (and other aliases) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization,' wrote US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio in a memo.
An armed coalition led by HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa overthrew then-Syrian president Bashar al-Assad last year, ending half a century of brutal rule by the latter's family.
Sharaa took over as interim president , a move that has been cautiously welcomed in Washington, Europe and elsewhere, with historic foe Israel seeking to build ties with the new government.
Washington's move will formally take effect on Tuesday, and comes after US President
Donald Trump last week formally dismantled his country's sanctions against Syria.
Advertisement
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How Azerbaijan defies Russia and Iran in Eurasia's new order
How Azerbaijan defies Russia and Iran in Eurasia's new order

South China Morning Post

time6 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

How Azerbaijan defies Russia and Iran in Eurasia's new order

Once bound by history to Iran and Russia Azerbaijan has been actively reconfiguring relationships with its neighbours in a bid to stake a claim as a major player in Eurasia – even at the cost of ratcheting up diplomatic friction with its former colonial rulers. Advertisement Emboldened by the decisive seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia in 2023, Baku has drawn on a web of diverse strategic partnerships to assert its autonomy. No longer content to be a subordinate neighbour, Azerbaijan is pushing back against Moscow and Tehran, drawing strength from a disparate coalition that includes Israel Turkey , nuclear-armed Pakistan and strategic partner China , as well as a host of former Soviet republics with majority ethnic Turkic populations. The shifting allegiances have prompted comparisons with the 19th-century 'Great Game' between the British and Russian empires, but analysts see today's contest as even more intricate. The current geopolitical contest in the southern Caucasus 'involves a more complex and multipolar configuration, with multiple stakeholders', said Rusif Huseynov, director of the Baku-based Topchubashov Centre think tank. Alongside Russia and China, the United States, European Union, India and Pakistan all now jostle for influence.

Iran demands ‘assurance' against further attacks to resume US nuclear talks
Iran demands ‘assurance' against further attacks to resume US nuclear talks

South China Morning Post

timea day ago

  • South China Morning Post

Iran demands ‘assurance' against further attacks to resume US nuclear talks

Iran's foreign minister said on Saturday that his country would accept a resumption of nuclear talks with the US if there were assurances of no more attacks against it, state media reported. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a speech to Tehran-based foreign diplomats that Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear programme, but, 'assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war'. Referring to the 12-day Israeli bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military sites, and the US strike on June 22, Araghchi said that if the US and others wish to resume talks with Iran, 'first, there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated. The attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations.' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran is open to resuming nuclear talks with the US, but only if 'firm assurances' are provided against future attacks. Photo: dpa Following the strikes, Iran suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, which led to the departure of inspectors. Araghchi said that under Iranian law, the country will answer the agency's request for cooperation 'case by case,' based on Iran's interests. He also said any inspection by the agency should be done based on Iran's 'security' concerns as well as the safety of the inspectors. 'The risk of proliferation of radioactive ingredients and an explosion of ammunition that remains from the war in the attacked nuclear sites is serious,' he said. He also reiterated Iran's position on the need to continue enriching uranium on its soil. US President Donald Trump has insisted that this cannot happen. 03:07 What's known about the 3 Iranian nuclear sites hit by US bunker-buster bombs What's known about the 3 Iranian nuclear sites hit by US bunker-buster bombs Israel claims it acted because Tehran was within reach of a nuclear weapon. US intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency had assessed that Iran last had an organised nuclear weapons programme in 2003, though Tehran had been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent – a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.

Gaza war: ceasefire talks stall over Israel's troop withdrawal plans, Palestinian sources say
Gaza war: ceasefire talks stall over Israel's troop withdrawal plans, Palestinian sources say

South China Morning Post

timea day ago

  • South China Morning Post

Gaza war: ceasefire talks stall over Israel's troop withdrawal plans, Palestinian sources say

Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza are being held up by Israel's proposals to keep troops in the territory, two Palestinian sources with knowledge of the discussions said on Saturday. Delegations from both sides began discussions in Qatar last Sunday to try to agree on a temporary halt to the 21-month conflict sparked by Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Both Hamas and Israel have said that 10 living hostages who were taken that day and are still in captivity would be released if an agreement for a 60-day ceasefire were reached. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he hoped to clinch a deal 'in a few days', which could then lead to talks for a more permanent end to hostilities. But one Palestinian source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the talks, said Israel's refusal to accept Hamas's demand to withdraw all of its troops from Gaza was holding back progress. Another said mediators had asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store