Biden Defers Terror Designation Decision for HTS

President Biden has decided to maintain the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), leaving the final decision on this designation to the incoming Trump administration. U.S. officials emphasize that HTS must demonstrate a complete break from extremist groups, particularly al-Qaeda, to have the designation lifted, which currently hampers Syria's economic recovery. Despite the designation, the U.S. Treasury has issued a six-month general license allowing certain transactions to facilitate humanitarian aid in the region. The decision to defer this critical policy issue to Trump comes as HTS recently overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime. Concerns remain regarding the inclusion of foreign fighters within Syria's new governance structure. The ongoing sanctions and the economic crisis in Syria continue to affect the population significantly, exacerbating their hardships.