Islamist group that toppled Assad in Syria could also be taken off UK terrorism record

The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has taken management of Damascus, could possibly be faraway from the UK’s record of proscribed terrorist organisations, Downing Avenue has indicated.

The prime minister’s spokesperson mentioned the developments in Syria have been “an evolving state of affairs” and that the federal government’s proscription regime was stored “underneath common assessment”.

There have been requires ministers to rethink the proscription of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the overthrow of Bashar-al-Assad’s regime in Syria after 13 years of civil battle.

The UK authorities can not maintain talks with HTS whereas it’s proscribed as a terrorist group. Pat McFadden, the Cupboard Workplace minister, mentioned “the state of affairs may be very fluid” and that ministers would “have a look at that within the days to come back”.

“They’ve been proscribed for fairly a very long time now,” McFadden advised the BBC Radio 4 Right now programme. “The chief of that group has distanced himself away from a few of the issues which have been mentioned prior to now. He’s saying a few of the proper issues concerning the safety of minorities, about respecting individuals’s rights. So we’ll have a look at that within the days to come back.”

McFadden mentioned the political state of affairs in Syria was unsure “however clearly, if the state of affairs stabilises, there’ll be a choice to make about how one can cope with no matter new regime is in place there”.

“It needs to be a comparatively swift choice so it’s one thing that should be thought-about fairly shortly, given the velocity of the state of affairs on the bottom.”

HTS was banned in 2017 due to its previous affiliation with al-Qaida, the terrorist organisation as soon as led by Osama bin Laden. The HTS chief, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has since minimize ties with al-Qaida.

Russia, a staunch ally of Assad, confirmed that the toppled chief had fled to Moscow and sought asylum there. His spouse, Asma, who has British citizenship, is believed to be there with him. McFadden mentioned there had been “no contact or no request” from her to come back to the UK.

On Monday, Downing Avenue mentioned ministers have been “having many conversations with regional allies” and referred to as on “all sides” in Syria to guard civilians and make sure that assist might attain those that wanted it.

“The Syrian individuals have needed to put up with Assad’s brutal regime for much too lengthy,” the prime minister’s spokesperson mentioned. “It took numerous lives, unfold instability throughout the area and led to horrendous struggling amongst the Syrian individuals.

“Our focus now could be making certain a political answer prevails and peace and stability is restored in Syria. We name on all sides to guard civilians and guarantee important assist can attain essentially the most susceptible within the coming hours and days.”