In a stunning reversal of policy, the United States is poised to remove Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian Islamist group, from its list of foreign terrorist organizations on Tuesday, according to a state department memo. This move signals a significant shift in the US approach to Syria, particularly after the group led a rebel offensive that toppled the 54-year Assad regime in December.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of HTS, now serves as the interim president of Syria. HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, had previously been affiliated with al-Qaeda until al-Sharaa severed ties in 2016.

Western nations have been seeking to re-establish relations with Syria in recent months, following years of heavy sanctions imposed on the former regime. President Trump signed an executive order in late June to formally end US sanctions against the country, with the White House stating that the decision was made to support Syria's "path to stability and peace."

The White House also indicated that it would monitor the new Syrian government's actions, including "taking concrete steps toward normalizing ties with Israel," "addressing foreign terrorists," and "banning Palestinian terrorist groups."

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani hailed the US decision, stating that it would "lift the obstacle" to economic recovery and pave the way for the country's reintegration into the international community.

On Friday, Syria expressed its willingness to cooperate with the US in reimplementing a 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel.

Adding to the momentum, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a landmark visit to Syria over the weekend – the first such visit by a UK government minister in 14 years. During his visit, Lammy met with al-Sharaa and announced an additional £94.5 million support package aimed at bolstering longer-term recovery efforts and assisting countries that are aiding Syrian refugees. The UK had previously lifted sanctions on Syria's defense and interior ministries.

The ousting of the Assad regime followed 13 years of a devastating civil war that left 90% of the Syrian population below the poverty line.

While al-Sharaa has promised a new era for Syria, concerns linger within the country regarding the new government's operations, particularly given al-Sharaa's radical past. Critics point to the fact that only one female government minister has been appointed, and al-Sharaa has personally made almost every other appointment.

Additionally, there has been a surge in violent attacks against minority groups in recent months. In March, hundreds of civilians from the Alawite sect were killed during clashes between the new security forces and Assad loyalists. April saw deadly confrontations between Islamist armed factions, security forces, and fighters from the Druze religious minority. In June, a suicide attack on a church in Damascus resulted in the deaths of at least 25 people.