In an unpublished report seen by "Reuters", UN sanctions experts have found that there are no "active links" between the former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - and the terrorist network, at least in the first half of 2025. The conclusion could provide a major boost to the United States' expected efforts to lift UN sanctions against the Syrian interim government.
HTS, formerly known as the "Al-Nusra Front", formally broke with "Al-Qaeda" in 2016 and in late 2024 took a leading role in the offensive that brought down the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The group's leader, Ahmed Sharaa, became Syria's interim president, and according to the leaked report, Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab are seen as more pragmatic than other influential figures with more extreme views in the new administration.
According to experts, some member states are concerned that individual tactical units of HTS, especially those integrated into the new Syrian army, still maintain ideological proximity to "Al-Qaeda". However, the report found no active organizational links between the two structures.
Sanctions against HTS, including an arms embargo and asset freezes, have been in place since 2014, and Sharaa himself has been on the UN sanctions list since 2013. But with the new political reality on the ground, Washington has already revoked its national terrorist designation of the group and signaled a policy shift.
According to US diplomats, lifting the sanctions would help Syria rebuild, limit the influence of Iran and Russia, and open up market opportunities for US companies. At the same time, it is believed that support for the new authorities in Damascus would weaken the radical groups and reduce the need for military intervention.
The US will have to convince Russia and China to support lifting the sanctions in the Security Council. Both countries are deeply concerned about the presence of foreign fighters, including Uyghurs from Central Asia and China, linked to the Turkestan Islamic Party.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia insisted that the army and police in Syria should be composed only of professionals with a "clean biography", hinting at former militants and mercenaries. Chinese Ambassador Fu Tsung, for his part, called on the interim Syrian leadership to take responsibility for the fight against terrorism.
At the same time, the report notes that some foreign fighters have refused to integrate into the new army, which has led to tensions, and Sharaa himself may be the target of internal attacks by disgruntled elements.
The official version of the report is expected to be published by the end of July, and it will be a key document in the debates on the future of international sanctions against Syria and its political reconstruction.