While welcoming the Canadian government's decision to lift the sanctions imposed on it, Syria stated that this step is a positive development that reflects a growing awareness of the negative impact of sanctions on the life of the Syrian people and its vital sectors. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement that "these decisions were not taken..." The Canadian government removed Syria's name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and removed "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" from the list of terrorist entities. The government stated in a Friday statement: "These measures align with the decisions taken by our allies, including the United Kingdom and the United States, and come following the efforts of the Syrian transitional government to enhance stability in Syria and build a comprehensive and secure future for its citizens, and to work with global partners to enhance regional stability and combat terrorism." Canada announced on Friday that it had removed Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and had rescinded the classification of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist entity, thus joining a series of countries that have recently eased sanctions on Damascus. These steps come after Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham overthrew former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last December, subsequently taking control of Syria.
