In taking Syria off state sponsor of terrorism list, US is putting its faith in al-Qaida alumni – that presents risks and opportunities

On Aug twenty‑four, twenty twenty‑six, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally removed Syria from the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that had been in place since 1979. The Conversation notes that the move clears the way for American investment and even a counter‑terrorism partnership with Damascus, but it also hinges on President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, a former leader of al‑Qaida’s Nusra Front who was only cleared from the terrorist list in November twenty twenty‑five. Critics warn that many former militants now sit inside Syria’s security services, raising the risk that any renewed U.S. ties could be undermined by those same networks. The decision therefore balances potential economic and strategic gains against the danger of aligning with a regime still populated by al‑Qaida alumni.

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