The Maldivian government has maintained its decision to designate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the militant group currently ruling Syria, as a terrorist organization.

HTS has been governing Syria since overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule on the 8th of this month.

The Maldivian government has re-gazetted the list of terrorist organizations today. However, no changes have been made to the list that was published on October 9 last year. The list published today also includes 20 organizations designated as terrorist groups.

Along with the list, the President's Office stated that based on the advice of the National Security Council, under the Anti-Terrorism Act, they are republishing the list of terrorist organizations and conflict zones as designated by the President on October 9, 2023, without any additional amendments.

The list includes alternative names for the terrorist organizations, their branches, and the date each organization was designated as a terrorist group.

HTS, which now rules Syria, was first included in the list on October 31, 2019. In addition to this group, the list includes Al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its affiliated militant groups, Abu Sayyaf, and Boko Haram.

  • Al-Qaeda (AQ)
  • Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
  • Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
  • Jabhat al-Nusra (JN)
  • Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
  • Hurras al-Din
  • Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
  • Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP)
  • Abu Sayyaf
  • Boko Haram
  • Al-Shabaab
  • National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ)
  • Jamaat-e-Millat-e-Ibrahim (JMI)
  • Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
  • Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
  • Wilayat al-Sinai (WAS)
  • Jaish-e-Mohammed
  • Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI)
  • Jama'atu Ansaril Daulah (JAD)

Syria is still included in the list as a conflict zone. As all areas of Syria are listed as conflict zones, Maldivians are prohibited from traveling to that country.