Canada Removes Syria from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism

SadaNews - On Friday evening, the Canadian government announced that it has removed Syria from the list of foreign countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism and has delisted "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" from the terrorist entities list.

The government clarified in a statement that "these measures align with the decisions taken by our allies, including the UK and the United States, recently, and come following the efforts made by the Syrian interim government to bolster Syria's stability and to build an inclusive and secure future for its citizens, while working with global partners to enhance regional stability and combat terrorism," according to Reuters.

Additionally, it noted that Canada has kept its sanctions on 56 Syrian individuals, including former officials from the era of former President Bashar al-Assad and members of his family, according to AFP.

For its part, Syria welcomed the Canadian government's decision to lift the sanctions imposed on it, indicating that this step is a positive development reflecting an increasing recognition of the negative impact of sanctions on the lives of the Syrian people and its vital sectors.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stated in a statement that "this decision constitutes an important moment to strengthen Syrian-Canadian relations and paves the way for a new phase of diverse partnerships," according to SANA news agency.

The ministry also added that Syria emphasizes its readiness to work with all international partners and engage positively in support of economic recovery and reconstruction efforts, which serves the interests of regional and international security and stability.

It is noteworthy that earlier this year, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom lifted economic sanctions on Syria, alongside removing President Ahmad al-Sharaa's name from American and Security Council terrorism lists.