Can Syrian rebel groups be considered terrorists?

(CLO) The British government may reconsider its decision to list Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a banned organization, after the rebel group led the coalition to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

On December 9, UK Intergovernmental Relations Minister Pat McFadden said that the HTS group in Syria will be considered for removal from the list of banned organizations in the UK.

"We will consider that. And I think that decision will depend in part on how the group behaves in the coming period," Mr McFadden replied when asked if the UK would change its position on a ban on HTS.

Rebel fighters hold HTS flags on military vehicles in the town of Saraqeb in northwestern Idlib province, Syria, December 1. Photo: Reuters

HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, is now a banned organisation in the UK. This means it is illegal to support or join the organisation in the UK, as are other Western countries, including the US, that designate HTS as a terrorist group.

Mr McFadden, a senior member of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cabinet, also said the British government would make a decision soon because the situation in Syria was evolving rapidly. "I think the decision will be made relatively quickly because it is an issue that needs to be considered urgently, given the current situation," he shared.

Mr McFadden said no decision had been made over the weekend, after HTS-led rebels captured the Syrian capital Damascus, forcing President al-Assad to flee to Russia.

International governments, including the UK, have welcomed the end of the Assad family regime, seeing it as one of the most significant turning points for the Middle East in decades.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nhom-noi-day-syria-se-khong-bi-coi-la-khung-bo-post324789.html