The government of Canada announced on Friday that it is removing Syria and the organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham from its list of designated terrorist organizations. The organization, formerly led by Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa, is now associated with the interim government operating in Syria after the overthrow of the Assad regime.
In a statement released by Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, it said the decision is consistent with policy taken by Canada's partners - the United States and the United Kingdom - and is part of a broader effort to promote stability in the Middle East and to combat global terrorist threats.
Anand also noted that Canada continues to view organizations such as al-Qaida and ISIS as a direct threat, and is committed to continuing the fight against them, but welcomes the "positive steps taken by the interim government in Syria"."
"We stand with the Syrian people in their struggle for a future of stability and prosperity," Anand said.
Between 2016 and 2025 Canada provided $4.7 billion in humanitarian assistance to Syria and neighboring countries that hosted Syrian refugees. At the same time, more than 100,000 Syrian refugees were admitted to Canada under a national program to resettle migrants and families affected by the war.