In a dramatic and controversial policy reversal, the Canadian government has removed Syria from its list of states accused of sponsoring terrorism and revoked the terrorist designation of the armed group Hayat Tahrir al‑Sham (HTS), signaling a new approach to the tangled politics of the Syrian conflict.
Ottawa announced the changes in a brief statement from the Department of Public Safety, framing the move as part of a “comprehensive review” of counterterrorism designations tied to the Syrian war. Officials said the reassessment drew on updated intelligence, diplomatic consultations, and what they described as “evolving realities on the ground” more than a decade after the uprising against President Bashar al‑Assad began.
The delisting of Syria marks a sharp departure from years of Canadian policy that treated Damascus as complicit in state violence and regional instability, and it is likely to spark criticism from human rights advocates who accuse the Assad government of systematic atrocities. Removing HTS from Canada’s terrorism roster is expected to be even more contentious, given the group’s origins in al‑Qaeda’s former Syrian affiliate and its continued control over large swathes of northwest Syria.
Government sources, speaking on background, argue that HTS has undergone what they describe as a “pragmatic transformation,” pointing to its clashes with more hardline factions and its efforts to impose a centralized administration in Idlib rather than openly project attacks abroad. Critics, however, warn that lifting the terrorist label risks legitimizing an armed Islamist organization still implicated in abuses against civilians and opponents.
Diplomats say the policy change could open the door to limited engagement with Syrian authorities and de facto local rulers in opposition-held areas on issues such as humanitarian access, reconstruction, and detainees. At the same time, opposition figures in exile and many Syrian Canadians view the move as a betrayal of victims of the conflict, accusing Ottawa of sacrificing justice and accountability for the sake of geopolitical maneuvering.
Legal experts note that delisting decisions have significant practical implications, easing restrictions on financial transactions, travel, and contacts with Syrian state bodies and HTS-linked entities. They caution that Canada’s shift, even if framed as technical or procedural, will be closely watched by allies and adversaries alike as a possible sign of wider recalibration toward Damascus and non-state actors that have long been treated as pariahs.
