Syrian rebel group HTS could be removed from UK’s banned terror organisation list
The UK government could remove the group that led the Syrian rebellion from its list of banned terror organisations, a senior minister has told Sky News.
Pat McFadden told Sky News’ Breakfast with Kay Burley a decision would be made “quickly” about whether to take Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) off the proscribed terror list.
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Asked if the government planned to do so, Mr McFadden said ministers will “consider” it.
“I think it will partly depend on what happens in terms of how that group behaves now.
“I think countries around the world who proscribe HTS – it’s not just the UK, the United States, European countries as well – I think probably will look at that now, and see what’s going to happen in the future.
“It won’t take that long. I think we need to do it quickly.”
HTS led the offensive by rebel groups in Syria over the past week that saw the capital, Damascus, taken over and the Assad regime overthrown after years of civil war.
Bashar al Assad, who took over from his father to rule Syria for 24 years, has fled to Russia and is reportedly now in Moscow.
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What happened to Bashar al Assad?
HTS used to be a wing of al Qaeda known as the Nusra Front and has long been designated a terrorist group by the US, UK and Russia.
The group comes under al Qaeda on the UK’s proscribed list, with the British government saying it should be treated as an alternative name for al Qaeda.
Its founder, Abu Muhammed al Jolani, cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016 in an effort to appear moderate and in 2021 he said he had no desire to wage war against Western countries.
Read more:
Who are the Syrian rebels claiming control of the Syrian capital?
How Syrian rebels overthrew the Assad regime in just over a week
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Former head of the British Army’s chemical weapons unit, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, told Sky News HTS “seemed to be a different organisation” when he was in Syria in 2020, compared to the last time he was there seven years before.
“Even in those days, they were trying to convince the medical networks we were helping that they were a political, moderate entity,” he said.
“What they’re saying now is, is the same. Syria was always a secular and moderate country, and it’s key that all the various factions are bought into this.
“And if it requires somebody like their leader, Abu Mohammed Alka Jilani, to do that, then so be it. But I think we need to give them a chance. They’re saying the right things.
“The people of Syria are absolutely delighted and want to make things work, but it’s going to be a challenge.”
An amber warning has been issued for snow in a part of the UK, likely to cause travel delays and “stranding some vehicles and passengers”.
The warning, which covers south west England, also warns some rural communities could become cut off and is in place until 2pm this evening.
Pic: Met Office
There is also a yellow weather warning for snow covering the southern counties of England until midnight on Wednesday.
The warning stretches from Kent to Cornwall and up to south London and the Met Office said between 2cm and 5cm of snow could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 10cm over higher ground.
This week is expected to see the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C on Wednesday night and -16C on Thursday night, both in the North East of England and Scotland, the Met Office said.
Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the parts of Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland will remain in place until midnight tomorrow.
The forecaster said some roads and railways are likely to be affected and there could be icy patches on untreated roads.
Pics: AP
Meanwhile the Environment Agency has said at least 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve. It estimates more than 41,000 properties have been protected.
Heavy rainfall over the New Year caused significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire and snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly the Midlands, the agency said.
Read more from Sky News:
Terrifying firestorm rips through home of film stars and billionaires
Homes destroyed – how people are coping with floods
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Man says flooding ‘came out of nowhere’
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”
Flood warnings
Some 100 flood warnings were in force across England on Wednesday, with people urged to remain vigilant over the coming days.
A danger-to-life warning was issued on Tuesday morning for the River Soar near Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, but was later removed.
People living in caravan parks in the area were urged by the Environment Agency to act, with a large-scale evacuation needed to save lives.
Firefighters have rescued dozens of people across Leicestershire since Monday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Hundreds of schools were closed across the UK, with road and rail links blocked, as Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool John Lennon airports suspended flights because of the conditions.
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