UK has opened diplomatic contact with Syrian rebels who toppled Assad, says Lammy

Foreign secretary David Lammy says the UK has opened up contact with HTS - (PA)

The UK foreign secretary David Lammy has said the government has opened “diplomatic contact” with the Syrian rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad’s regime last weekend.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is still a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK, Mr Lammy said on Sunday, during remarks in which he also announced a £50 million humanitarian aid package for vulnerable Syrians.