US Removes Syria From Terrorism List After Nearly 50 Years, Delists HTS

The United States has removed Syria from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list, ending a designation that had remained in place since 1979 and marking a major shift in Washington’s relationship with Damascus.

The decision, announced on Monday, August 24, 2026, comes after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad and the emergence of a transitional government led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The move could open further opportunities for investment and economic engagement with Syria, although major security and political concerns remain.

US formally ends Syria’s terrorism designation

The US Department of the Treasury said the determination designating Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism had been rescinded.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision was intended to encourage investment and contribute to political and economic stability in Syria.

The designation had carried significant economic and diplomatic consequences for Damascus. Syria had been on the US terrorism list since the list was established in 1979, initially because of the policies and activities of the Assad government.

The latest decision therefore represents more than a change in sanctions policy. It signals Washington’s willingness to engage more closely with Syria’s new political leadership.

The US had already taken several steps towards sanctions relief following Assad’s fall, including the termination of the broader Syria sanctions programme in 2025, while retaining measures against Assad, his associates and other actors under separate authorities.

Damascus welcomes the decision

Syria’s Finance Minister Muhammad Yasser Bernia welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major diplomatic breakthrough.

He said removing Syria from the terrorism list could help reconnect the country to international financial and economic systems, attract foreign investment and provide access to modern technologies.

For a country emerging from years of war, sanctions and economic isolation, greater access to international finance could have significant implications for reconstruction and economic recovery.

The US move also comes as Syria attempts to rebuild state institutions and restore economic activity following years of conflict.

Washington also removes HTS from sanctions list

Alongside the decision on Syria, Washington announced that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had been removed from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists under the relevant Treasury sanctions programme.

HTS played a central role in the armed opposition that eventually helped bring down Assad.

The group and allied factions launched their major offensive in November 2024. The campaign culminated in the capture of Damascus and Assad’s removal after 24 years in power.

HTS and affiliated groups were subsequently dissolved as the new authorities took shape, with former members becoming part of the transitional administration.

Sharaa, who had been associated with HTS, emerged as the country’s interim president.

Sharaa’s past remains under scrutiny

Despite the growing international engagement with Syria’s new government, questions remain over Sharaa’s past and the direction of the country’s political transition.

Before becoming president, Sharaa was widely known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and had a long history with jihadist movements.

He was associated with al-Qaeda in Iraq before establishing Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria during the country’s civil war. The group later became part of the formation that evolved into HTS.

US forces captured Sharaa in Iraq in 2006, and he spent several years in detention before returning to the region following the outbreak of the Syrian conflict.

His transformation from an insurgent leader to Syria’s transitional president has therefore remained one of the most closely watched developments in the country’s political transition.

Critics have also raised concerns about the concentration of political power under the new administration and the treatment and representation of Syria’s minority communities.

A changing US approach to Damascus

The latest announcement is part of a broader transformation in US policy towards Syria following Assad’s departure.

Washington had previously removed Sharaa from its terrorism-related designation ahead of his diplomatic engagement with the US and has taken other steps to ease economic restrictions.

Syria has also joined the international coalition fighting Islamic State, while Western governments have gradually adjusted their approach to the new authorities.

The shift reflects a broader calculation: that engagement with Syria’s transitional government may offer greater prospects for stability and reconstruction than continued isolation.

However, the US still warns against travel to Syria because of terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, crime and armed conflict, underscoring the security challenges that remain despite the diplomatic changes.

What the decision means for Syria

For ordinary Syrians, the most important question is whether the diplomatic breakthrough will translate into tangible economic improvements.

Greater access to international investment could support reconstruction, create jobs and help rebuild infrastructure damaged by years of conflict. It could also make it easier for Syrian businesses to reconnect with international markets.

But the end of the terrorism designation does not, by itself, resolve Syria’s political, security or humanitarian challenges.

The new government will face pressure to demonstrate that it can protect minority communities, maintain stability, rebuild state institutions and create an inclusive political system.

The US decision marks a significant new chapter in relations between Washington and Damascus. But the real test will be whether the diplomatic opening produces lasting economic recovery and a more stable Syria.

For a country that has spent decades under isolation and conflict, removal from the terrorism list may open a door. What happens after that will depend on how Syria’s new leaders use the opportunity.

Written by Boom RadioNG