Canada removes Syria from list of states that support ‘terrorism’

Ottawa cites similar move by US as well as Syrian government’s efforts to advance stability in the country.Published On 6 Dec 2025Canada has removed Syria from its list of states that support “terrorism”, citing a similar move by the United States as well as efforts by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government to “advance” the country’s stability.The announcement on Friday comes as Syria prepares to mark one year since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Five key takeaways from Trump’s National Security Strategylist 2 of 4Crowds gather in Hama, Syria, to celebrate one year of liberationlist 3 of 4Al-Assad inner circle plotting Syrian uprisings from Russian exile: Reportlist 4 of 4Syria’s Hama full of ‘hope, joy’ one year after al-Assad forces’ exitend of listCanada’s foreign ministry said it was also revoking the “terrorist” designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that spearheaded the alliance that helped remove al-Assad.In a statement, the ministry said the decisions were “not taken lightly”.“These measures are in line with recent decisions taken by our allies, including the United Kingdom and the United States, and follows the efforts by the Syrian transitional government to advance Syria’s stability, build an inclusive and secure future for its citizens, and work alongside global partners to reinforce regional stability and counter terrorism,” it said.Canada had listed Syria as a “state supporter of terrorism” in 2012, as al-Assad’s crushing of pro-democracy protests plunged the country into civil war.HTS had been widely sanctioned over its links to al-Qaeda, but several Western states have delisted the group to allow for better collaboration with the new Syrian government.Since taking power, Syria’s new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a more moderate image to Syrians and foreign powers.The ministry said it was still maintaining sanctions on 56 Syrian individuals, including former officials from al-Assad’s former government and members of the toppled president’s family.