Syria's Interim Govt Has No Active Ties to Al-Qaeda: UN Report

Finding Could Strengthen an Expected US Push for Lifting UN Sanctions on Damascus

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UNITED NATIONS — UN sanctions monitors have seen no "active ties" in 2025 between Al-Qaeda and the Islamist group leading Syria's interim government, an unpublished UN report said, a finding that could strengthen an expected US push for removing UN sanctions on Syria.

The report, seen by Reuters on July 10, is likely to be published in July. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is Al-Qaeda's former branch in Syria but broke ties in 2016. The group, previously known as al-Nusra Front, led the rebellion that toppled President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive in December 2014, and HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa became Syria's interim president.

The report comes as diplomats expect the US to seek the removal of UN sanctions on HTS and Mr. Sharaa, who has said he wants to build an inclusive and democratic Syria.

"Many tactical-level individuals hold more extreme views than... Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, who are generally regarded as more pragmatic than ideological," the UN report said. The report covered the six months to June 22, and relied on contributions and assessments from UN member states.