US removes North Macedonian militant leader from sanctions list

The United States Department of the Treasury has removed Abdul Samrez Jashari, also known as Abu Qatada al-Albani, from its list of sanctioned individuals. Jashari, a North Macedonia native, had been sanctioned since 2016 for his role as a military advisor and leader within Al-Nusra, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.

Jashari led the militant group ‘Xhemati Albani’ and maintained an alliance with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The removal of Jashari and other individuals linked to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq follows a shift in U.S. policy. In accordance with President Donald Trump’s commitment to easing sanctions on Syria, the U.S. Department of State has revoked Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Additionally, the U.S. previously announced in July 2025 that it no longer considers HTS a terrorist organization after the group played a role in the overthrow of the Syrian government in December 2024.