US Drops Terror Designation for Syrian Group: HTS No Longer Al-Qaeda Branch

The Trump administration has unexpectedly withdrawn the foreign terrorist organization status from the Syrian-based Nusra Front, according to a memo released online on Monday.

The group, now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was previously linked as al-Qaeda's Syrian fringe. The June 23 memo by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was initially published ahead of its formal appearance in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

In response, Syria's foreign ministry has yet to issue an official statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)