Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian rebel group that has played a key role in opposing President Bashar al-Assad, has been trapped by United Nations sanctions for years. The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, calls the sanctions “a complicating factor for all of us”.

Formerly known as the Nusra Front, and once the official affiliate of Al-Qaeda in Syria, HTS has been on the UN Security Council’s sanctions list against Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State since May 2014 This includes a global asset freeze and an arms embargo. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has been sanctioned since July 2013. Despite ongoing sanctions, there has been no discussion of lifting restrictions on HTS.

The justification for these sanctions stems from HTS’s association with Al-Qaeda. The organization’s history of financing and planning terrorist activities prompted its inclusion on the list. Although there are exempt communication channels, the group remains subject to strict restrictions affecting its operations in the context of the ongoing Syrian conflict.

(With input from agencies.)