He has recently adopted a more inclusive tone toward Syria’s religious minorities, including Christians, suggesting he could play a significant role in the country’s post-Assad leadership landscape.
When asked about the possibility of lifting the proscription of HTS during an interview with Sky News on Monday, Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said: “We’ll consider that. And I think it will partly depend on how that group behaves moving forward.”
McFadden emphasized that the U.K. had “not made any decisions on that over the weekend.” Regarding the review of HTS’s status, he noted: “I think it should be a relatively swift decision, so it’s something that will have to be examined quickly, given the speed of developments on the ground.”
The minister pointed to al-Jolani’s recent statements in the wake of the rebels’ victory over Assad, suggesting they offered a reason for cautious optimism. “He is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities and respecting people’s rights, so we will take that into consideration in the days ahead,” McFadden said.
However, he also tempered expectations, adding: “We hope that’s true, but right now the situation is so fast-moving that I think anyone claiming to be certain about what happens next might not be entirely credible.”
On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, currently visiting the Middle East to foster trade and investment ties, voiced his support for Assad’s ouster. He described the collapse of what he called a “barbaric regime” as a significant turning point and welcomed the changes ahead.
Leave a Reply