Syria crisis: The designated terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, also known as HTS, stormed into power after overthrowing the 50-year-long rule of Bashar al-Assad’s family in Syria, following an armed revolt against the Syrian government. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s takeover pushed Western countries, especially the United States into a state of dilemma about making a tie with a designated terror outfit. However, it seems that the US is ready to shift its position. The State Department on Monday said it is not actively reviewing the “foreign terrorist organisation” designation of the main Syrian rebel group that overthrew Bashar Assad’s government, but, it said such designations are constantly under review, and that even while it’s in place, the label does not bar US officials from speaking with the group.
“There is no specific review related to what happened” over the weekend,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. That said, we are always reviewing. Based on their actions, there could be a change in our sanctions posture, but we have nothing today,”
He said a review could be initiated if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, takes steps to reverse the reasons for its designation. That would be based entirely on its actions, Miller added.
The designation imposes numerous sanctions against those targeted, including a ban on the provision of “material support” to such groups, although Miller said that would not necessarily prevent discussions between its members and US officials.
US needs to engage with HTS: Miller
HTS will be an “important component” in what transpires in Syria and the US needs to “engage with them, appropriately, and with US interests in mind”, said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
US cites Taliban to make tie with HTS
Miller cited the case of the Trump administration negotiating with the Taliban over the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, but later conceded that the Taliban has never been designated in the same way.
Instead, the Taliban was listed as a “specially designated terrorist organisation”, a label that comes with less stringent sanctions.
Nevertheless, Miller said US officials “do have the ability, when it is in our interest, legally to communicate with a designated terrorist organisation”.
US, Jordan in touch over Syria crisis
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Jordan’s King Abdullah II spoke by phone about the rapidly evolving situation in Syria and joint efforts to keep the Islamic State militant group from exploiting the situation, according to the White House.
In their call, Biden and the Jordanian monarch also discussed the dozens of US airstrikes conducted on Sunday targeting IS leaders and fighters in the Syrian desert as well as ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza.
The call came as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass and Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf were in the region holding consultations with key partners. They were in Amman, Jordan, on Monday and were in Doha, Qatar, over the weekend, the State Department said.
(With AP inputs)
Also read: Syrian regime change: How emergence of new political set up will shape the Middle East?
