Biden Defers Decision on Keeping Syria’s HTS on Terror List to Trump

By Staff, Agencies

Outgoing US President Joe Biden will defer to incoming President Donald Trump on the decision of whether to maintain the leader of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [HTS] militant group on the list of foreign terrorist organizations, according to reports.

HTS, led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, took control of Damascus on December 8, declaring the end of Bashar A-Assad’s rule in a surprise offensive that reached the capital in less than two weeks.

Although the US removed the $10 million bounty on Al-Julani after a high-level US delegation met with him, HTS remains on the US's terrorism list.

The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration will keep HTS, including Al-Julani, on the list until Biden leaves office, leaving the final decision to Trump.

The report also mentioned that for HTS to be removed from the terror list, the group would need to sever all ties with terrorist organizations, notably Al-Qaeda, a condition that significantly hinders Syria's economic recovery.

Earlier this week, the US Treasury issued a six-month sanction exemption for transactions with the ruling HTS administration in Syria, aimed at easing the flow of humanitarian assistance.

However, this exemption did not lift any sanctions against Syria itself, which remains in a fragile political and economic situation.

The US, along with Britain, the EU, and other Western nations, imposed severe sanctions on Syria starting in 2011 during the foreign-backed militancy against Assad’s government.