The Maldives has removed Syria from its list of war zones and delisted Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, as a terrorist organisation, according to an updated list released on Thursday.
The changes were made under the Terrorism Act, which requires the government to review the list of terrorist organisations and designated war zones once a year. The president issues the list on the advice of the National Security Council.
HTS took power in Syria in December 2024 after the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The group had been listed as a terrorist organisation in the Maldives since October 2019.
When the most recent list was published in December 2024, 20 organisations were designated as terrorist groups in the Maldives, including HTS. The updated list released this week removes HTS from the designation.
The new list also removes Syria from the war zones where Maldivians are prohibited from travelling.
Sources said the changes follow similar decisions taken by several other countries to remove HTS from their lists of terrorist or militant groups.
HTS was delisted in the Maldives as the United States and other countries also removed the group from their sanctions and designation lists. US President Donald Trump has since met with HTS leader and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara at the White House.
Under the Terrorism Act, supporting a designated terrorist organisation or travelling to a listed war zone without government permission carries lengthy prison sentences.
The Maldives government did not announce any further changes to the list of designated groups or restricted areas.