Armed groups

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham

Formed in 2017 under al-Sharaa's leadership; led the offensive that ended Bashar al-Assad's government.

Also known as

  • HTS
  • Tahrir al-Sham

Formed in 2017, with Ahmed al-Sharaa as its most prominent leader. 1 It controlled much of Idlib, where later reports documented arbitrary arrests, torture and other abuses. 2 In 2024–2025 HTS and its allies led the offensive that ended with the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. 3

Designations

AuthorityChange
United States (FTO)Revoked on 8 July 2025. 4
United NationsRemoved from the list on 27 February 2026. 5
United States (SDGT/SDN)Revoked and removed on 24 August 2026. 4

People and bodies linked to it

LeaderMemberMemberCommanderSuccessor ofSub-unitSub-unitAhmed al-SharaaMohammad QanatariQutaiba QadishAbdulrahman SalamaJabhat Fateh al-ShamHTS PoliticalAffairs DepartmentOmar ibn al-KhattabBrigadeHay’at Tahrir al-Sham
Legend
  • Supported by independent sources
  • According to testimony
  • Published allegation
  • Person
  • Organisation

Sources

  1. Official record Country Reports on Terrorism 2014: Al-Nusrah Front (split from ISIS and al-Nusra’s trajectory) — U.S. Department of State
    Note: Covers events up to 2014. Guide v0.2 also cites it for 2016-2017 events; a later source is needed for those.
  2. Human-rights organisation Syria: Arrests, Torture by Armed Group — Human Rights Watch, January 28, 2019
  3. Official record UN Secretary-General’s daily schedule and UN records on the transitional authorities — United Nations, July 24, 2026
  4. Official record Revocation of HTS’s SDGT designation and removal from the SDN list (FTO revoked 8 July 2025) — U.S. Department of the Treasury, August 24, 2026
  5. Official record Consolidated list updates: removal of QDe.137 — UN Security Council, February 27, 2026
  6. Archive Profile: Mohammad Qanatari (HTS political affairs department; name «Mohammad al-Sadiq») — The Syrian Memory (الذاكرة السورية)
  7. Archive Profile: Qutaiba Qadish («Abu Ali al-Zubair»; from al-Nusra to the Foreign Ministry) — The Syrian Memory (الذاكرة السورية)
  8. Archive Profile: Abdulrahman Salama («Abu Ibrahim»; former al-Nusra emir in Aleppo; al-Raqi company; Governor of Raqqa) — The Syrian Memory (الذاكرة السورية)
  9. Archive Profile: Asaad al-Shaibani (noms de guerre; Four Towns negotiations) — The Syrian Memory (الذاكرة السورية)