Canada has officially removed Syria from its list of states that support terrorism, marking a major change in its foreign policy. The announcement comes as Syria prepares to complete one year under the leadership of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who took charge following the removal of Bashar al-Assad.
Canada said the decision mirrors similar actions taken by the United States and the United Kingdom. Officials stated that the move reflects progress made by the Syrian transitional government toward improving stability in the region.
In a formal statement, Canada’s foreign ministry said the decision was “not taken lightly.” It added that the removal aligns with international efforts to support Syria’s shift toward peace, inclusivity, and cooperation with global partners.
As part of the same policy change, Canada also revoked the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS was previously sanctioned due to its historical ties with al-Qaeda, but several Western nations have recently delisted the group to enable better coordination with Syria’s new leadership.
Canada originally listed Syria as a terrorism-supporting state in 2012. The designation came after the Assad regime launched a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protestors, which pushed the country into a long and devastating civil war.
The transitional government, now led by al-Sharaa, has attempted to distance itself from past militant associations. Al-Sharaa, once a prominent figure in al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, broke ties with the group in 2016. Since the fall of al-Assad, he has adopted a more moderate public image and has introduced reforms aimed at rebuilding global trust.
Despite removing Syria from the terrorism list, Canada will maintain sanctions on 56 Syrian individuals. These include former officials from the Assad government and members of the former ruling family.
The United States has also taken similar steps in recent months. Washington partially suspended sanctions in June and extended that suspension in November following a meeting between al-Sharaa and President Donald Trump at the White House.
During the same period, the US declared that al-Sharaa was no longer a “specially designated global terrorist.”
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Earlier this year, Syria’s interim leader addressed the UN General Assembly, declaring that the country is “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world.” Since then, efforts have been made to rebuild Syria’s diplomatic and economic ties with both the US and the European Union.
