The curiously evolving relationship between Russia and the terrorist group that took control of Syria
The following is a compilation of reports made by the Russian news agency TASS relating to Russia’s view of the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (“HTS”) which assumed governance of Syria last month.
The reports show that the Russian government unequivocally viewed HTS as a terrorist organisation before December 2024, but began softening its view as HTS took control of the Syrian government.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (“HTS”) is a coalition of Sunni Islamist insurgent groups in northern Syria. It evolved from Jabhat al-Nusra which was al-Qaeda’s former branch in Syria. In an effort to appear moderate, HTS cut ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. Despite these efforts, HTS remains listed as a terrorist organisation due to its history and ongoing activities.
HTS is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and other states. But since HTS took control of Syria at the end of last year, it seems Russia, along with other governments, is willing to consider removing HTS from the terrorist list, even though there is no evidence that HTS has changed its ways.
We don’t have any answers, only questions. Questions such as: Was the takeover of Syria agreed upon between powerbrokers in Syria, including Russia and the United States, before HTS launched their offensive? Were groups such as HTS used to give the appearance of a takeover while, in reality, it was a changing of the guard? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
Table of Contents
Russia’s Interests in Syrian Oil
Before we begin, it’s worth briefly noting Russia’s involvement with the Bashar al-Assad regime as it adds to the mystery as to how HTS was able to seemingly walk into Aleppo without any resistance from Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad‘s forces or, more notably, Russia. For decades, Assad had been significantly supported by Russia. Russia played a crucial role in keeping him in power during Syria’s civil war. Russian military intervention began in 2015 and helped turn the tide of the war in Assad’s favour.
Russia has been actively involved in Syria’s oil industry, particularly since the Syrian Civil War which began in 2011, a war that was reignited towards the end of November 2024.
After the signing of an energy cooperation agreement in January 2018, Russia gained exclusive rights to produce oil and gas in Syria. In December 2019, Russia strengthened its grip on Syrian oil by securing exploration contracts for two Russian firms, Mercury and Velada; companies which were reported to have links to a secretive businessman believed to be running a private military contractor.
Further reading:
- Russian Oil Deals in Syria Linked to ‘Putin’s Chef’ – Novaya Gazeta, The Moscow Times, 20 January 2020
- Why Syria is a Critical Part of Russia’s Energy Strategy, Oil Price, 21 September 2020
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists train militants for terror attacks in Russia, TASS, 11 February 2021
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is a coalition of Islamist groups led by Jabhat al-Nusra militants.
Terrorists controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation (one of the names of the Jabhat al-Nusra group outlawed in Russia) are training militants to commit crimes in Russian cities.
“Information has been received that the leaders of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist alliance (designated as a terrorist organisation by the Russian Supreme Court’s decision on May 20, 2020) had turned their supporters’ focus toward committing crimes in various cities in Russia in places where mass street actions are held. To that end, the leaders of the Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, Jama’at al-Tawhid wa’al-Jihad, Ajnad al-Kavkaz terror groups and other terrorist organisations that are part of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are training the most trusted and experienced gunmen from among recruits of Russian origin or recruited in the countries bordering Russia,” a law enforcement source said.
Terrorists in Syria plotting kamikaze drone attack on Hmeymim airbase, TASS, 4 November 2022
The Russian side has information that terrorists in Syria are plotting an attack on the Hmeymim airbase with the use of kamikaze drones.
“According to reports received by the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties, militants of the Jabhat al-Nusra (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, outlawed in Russia) and the Turkistan Islamic Party (outlawed in Russia) terrorist groups are plotting an attack on the airbase at Hmaymim with the use of combat unmanned aerial vehicles and kamikaze drones,” Oleg Yegorov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (division of the Russian defence ministry), said.
Ex-‘Nusra Front’ militants prepare drone attack on Khmeimim airbase, TASS, 30 November 2022
The former Nusra Front (outlawed in Russia) terror group plans to carry out strikes on the Russian military base in Khmeimim and on Syrian government forces in the Idlib province using drones.
“According to the information, obtained by the Russian Reconciliation Centre, militants of the ‘Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’ (‘Jabhat al-Nusra’) terror group plan to carry out strikes using drones on the Russian airbase in Khmeimim and positions of Syrian government forces near settlements of Jurin, Seraqab and Kafr Nebel in the Idlib Province,” Major General Oleg Yegorov, deputy head of Russian Reconciliation Centre for Syria, said.
Syrian militants plotting drone attack on Russian Hmeimim airbase, TASS, 7 December 2022
Syrian militants are plotting an attack on the Russian airbase Hmeimim with the use of drones and self-made multiple launch rocket systems.
“According to reports received by the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties, militants of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organisation (Jabhat al-Nusra, both outlawed in Russia – TASS) are planning to attack the Russian airbase Hmeimim with the use of combat unmanned aerial vehicles and self-made MLRS with extended-range capability,” Major General Oleg Yegorov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said.
Some UNSC countries pandering to terrorists who hamper aid to Syria, TASS, 28 February 2023
A number of delegations to the United Nations Security Council actually pandering to terrorists in Syria’s Idlib, who are blocking humanitarian aid.
“Over the two weeks since the tragedy, not a single humanitarian convoy has managed to cross the contact lines due to open sabotage by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (outlawed in Russia) terrorists,” Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said.
Ukrainian intelligence recruits Islamists for terrorism in Russia, abroad, TASS, 12 September 2024
Ukraine’s intelligence is actively recruiting Islamist militants in Syria and Africa to carry out terrorist operations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at an embassy roundtable discussion to settle situation around Ukraine.
“Now there is information that Ukrainian envoys, those of Ukrainian intelligence, are in the Idlib de-escalation zone on the territory of Syria, where they are recruiting militants of Jabhat al-Nusra, now called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (terrorist group outlawed in Russia – TASS), to involve them in new hideous operations planned,” the Russian foreign minister said.
HTS Captures Syria, 27 November to 24 December
We have inserted this brief timeline here of recent developments in Syria because it is relevant to Russia’s changing stance on HTS terrorists.
HTS launched an offensive on 27 November 2024. After three days, they took control of most of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, from government forces. On 8 December, HTS had assumed control of most of the country.
On 9 December, Labour MP Pat McFadden told Sky News that a decision would be made “quickly” about whether to take HTS off the proscribed terror list. Asked if the UK government planned to do so, McFadden said ministers would “consider it.”
Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known by the alias Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), the leader of HTS since 2017, has taken actions aimed at building a new Syrian state. On 24 December, it was reported that an agreement to unite the various “rebel” factions had been reached.
One of the most significant factions that remains outside Sharaa’s sphere of influence is the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which control a large portion of the country’s northeast.
Lavrov says Syrian opposition needs to distance itself from terrorists, TASS, 7 December 2024
The goal of distancing Syrian opposition in Idlib from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (banned in Russia) remains relevant, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference as he wrapped up his visit to Qatar.
“About the Idlib de-escalation zone. We talked about the fact that there are commitments developed within the Astana format in this regard – to prevent the strengthening of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and to distance, so to speak, the non-terrorist opposition from this group,” he said.
UNSC doesn’t discuss striking Syria’s HTS from list of terrorist groups, TASS, 10 December 2024
The UN Security Council is not discussing a removal of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (banned in Russia) from the list of terrorist organisations, said China’s envoy to the UN, Fu Cong.
“This issue is not being discussed now,” he told reporters in comments following closed-door UN Security Council consultations on Syria.
“The situation should be stabilised, and an inclusive political process should begin,” the diplomat said. “There should also be no resurgence of terrorist forces, and the UN should play a big role in all this.”
Biden administration may remove HTS from list of terrorist organisations, TASS, 11 December 2024
The outgoing US administration led by President Joe Biden is looking into the possibility of removing the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, outlawed in Russia), the leading force behind the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, high-ranking US officials told NBC news.
Russia to look at steps by Syria’s HTS before removing it from list of terrorists, TASS, 11 December 2024
Russia will take into account actions by Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (banned in Russia) before striking it from the list of terrorist organisations.
“One should proceed from concrete actions, deeds, concrete manifestations of someone’s activity. How can one speak in theory, in general? These are quite specific things, which will imply a specific assessment of them,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Moscow establishes interaction with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s political committee, TASS, 12 December 2024
The Russian side has established interaction with the political committee of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement (outlawed in Russia).
“Interaction has been established with the political committee currently operating out of one of Damascus hotels. They are holding meetings there, and representatives from our embassy have met with them to discuss various issues, above all, of ensuring our diplomatic mission’s security and that of the Russian citizens who are on Syrian soil today,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who also serves as special presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa, told reporters.
New Syrian authorities do not intend to annul agreements on Russian military bases, TASS, 27 December 2024
The new Syrian authorities do not plan to terminate the agreements under which Russia uses military bases in Latakia and Tartus provinces of Syria in the near future, a source close to the discussions on the preservation of Russian facilities in Syria told TASS.
External forces to prevent Syria’s collapse – expert, TASS, 28 December 2024
Foreign actors, such as Russia, Iran, Turkey and Israel, will prevent Syria from disintegrating as a state, Vitaly Naumkin, the academic director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, told TASS. “I believe that Russia and our partners will not allow that,” he said.
Featured image: Syrian rebels tear a poster of President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on 30 November 2024, after capturing the city in a surprise offensive. Source: New Lines Magazine
