(Commonwealth_Europe) In a significant diplomatic development, British diplomats have engaged in discussions with leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group that recently succeeded in ousting President Bashar al-Assad from power. The group’s leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was previously known as Mohammed al-Golani, met with high-ranking officials in Syria’s capital, Damascus. HTS’s military operations department shared images of these talks on social media, showing al-Sharaa alongside Ann Snow, the UK’s special representative for Syria. These meetings come at a critical juncture, as Syria navigates the aftermath of Assad’s removal, and the situation in the country remains volatile.
According to HTS, the discussions between their leadership and the British diplomats revolved around the latest developments in Syria, including the country’s political future and the state of the ongoing conflict. In a highly publicized interview with The Times, al-Sharaa made a strong appeal to the West, urging the international community to lift all sanctions imposed on Syria during the Assad regime. He specifically called for the removal of the designation of HTS as a terrorist organization, describing it as an unjust classification. Al-Sharaa framed this request as a matter of justice, stating, “They should lift all restrictions, which were imposed on the flogger and the victim—the flogger is gone now. This issue is not up for negotiation.”
The British government, through Foreign Secretary David Lammy, confirmed that official diplomatic channels had been established with HTS, even though the group is still listed by the UK as a terrorist organization. Lammy emphasized the importance of seeking a stable, representative government for Syria in the wake of Assad’s fall. He highlighted the need for a peaceful resolution that would include securing chemical weapons stockpiles to prevent their use and ensuring that the violence in Syria does not persist. The government also expressed its commitment to working through diplomatic and intelligence-led channels to address the situation, balancing the necessity of cooperation with the desire for a peaceful transition.
In addition to the diplomatic talks, the UK government has also announced a significant £50 million humanitarian aid package aimed at providing relief to vulnerable Syrians, including those who have fled the violence in the region. The intention of this funding is to tackle the ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has resulted in the displacement of over 374,000 Syrians due to the recent fighting, adding to the millions already affected by the long-running civil war. The United Nations has been tracking this displacement, underscoring the severity of the situation.
The recent changes in Syria’s leadership and the subsequent diplomatic moves mark a major shift in the international landscape surrounding the country. The role of HTS, long considered a major rebel faction, and its interactions with Western powers are likely to shape the future of Syria’s political reconstruction and the broader Middle Eastern geopolitical dynamics. However, the HTS’s actions have been seen as controversial, and their designation as a terrorist organization remains in place by many governments.
