Al-Julani Defines His “Larger Goal” and the Role of Foreign Forces in Syria
Syrian Rebel Leader Outlines Vision for Post-Assad Syria in Rare Interview
Idlib, Syria – In a rare adn exclusive interview with CNN, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the leader of the powerful Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), laid out his vision for a post-Assad Syria, emphasizing the need for an institutionalized government and reassuring minority groups of their safety.
Al-Julani, who uses the alias Ahmed al-Shara, stressed that the primary goal of the Syrian revolution is to overthrow the Assad regime. “We have the right to use all available means to achieve this goal,” he stated, adding that he believes the regime is “dead” despite attempts by Iran and Russia to prop it up.Reaching Out to Minorities
Addressing concerns about the treatment of minorities under HTS rule,al-Julani sought to reassure them,stating,”I work to reassure civilians and groups who have suffered persecution at the hands of extremist and jihadist groups… I do my best to publicly tell Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities that they will live in safety.”
He acknowledged past violations against minorities, attributing them to “some individuals during the chaos,” but insisted that HTS has resolved these issues. “No one has the right to wipe out another group,” he emphasized, highlighting the centuries-long coexistence of these communities in the region.
Confronting Past Abuses and Foreign Intervention
Al-Julani distanced HTS from accusations of torture and abuse against political opponents in Idlib, stating that such incidents “did not happen under our orders or directives” and that those responsible have been held accountable. he also condemned the brutal tactics employed by other jihadist groups, citing them as a reason for severing ties with them.
Regarding the presence of foreign forces in Syria, al-Julani expressed his belief that their role would become obsolete once the assad regime falls. “Syria deserves an institutionalized system of government, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions,” he argued.
A Vision for the Future
Al-Julani presented HTS as part of a larger movement dedicated to building a new Syria. “We are talking about a larger project. We are talking about building Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-sham is only one part of this dialog, and it can break at any time. It is not the end. it is rather a mission in itself. way: Confronting this regime.”
This rare interview offers a glimpse into the thinking of a key player in the Syrian conflict and sheds light on the complex challenges and aspirations facing the country as it navigates a path towards a potential post-war future.
Syrian rebel Leader Offers Glimpse into Post-Assad Vision
Idlib,Syria – In a rare and exclusive interview with CNN,Abu Mohammed al-Julani,the leader of the powerful syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),outlined his vision for a post-Assad Syria,stressing the need for institutionalized governance and reassuring minority groups of their safety.
Al-Julani, who uses the alias Ahmed al-Shara, emphatically stated that the Syrian revolution’s primary goal is overthrowing the Assad regime, asserting their right to utilize “all available means” to achieve this.He declared the regime “dead” despite attempts by Iran and russia to prop it up.
Addressing concerns about minority treatment under HTS rule,al-Julani aimed to reassure them: “I work to reassure civilians and groups who have suffered persecution at the hands of extremist and jihadist groups… I do my best to publicly tell Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities that they will live in safety.”
Acknowledging past violations, he attributed them to “some individuals during the chaos,” insisting HTS has resolved these issues. “No one has the right to wipe out another group,” he emphasized, highlighting the centuries-long coexistence of these communities.
Al-Julani distanced HTS from accusations of torture and abuse against political opponents in idlib, stating that such incidents “did not happen under our orders or directives” and that those responsible faced accountability. He condemned the brutal tactics employed by other jihadist groups as a reason for severing ties with them.
Regarding foreign intervention, al-Julani expressed his belief that their role would become obsolete once the Assad regime falls. “Syria deserves an institutionalized system of government, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions,” he argued.
al-Julani presented HTS as part of a larger movement dedicated to building a new Syria. “we are talking about a larger project.We are talking about building Syria.Hayat Tahrir al-sham is only one part of this dialog, and it can break at any time. It is not the end. It is rather a mission in itself. way: Confronting this regime.”
This rare interview offers insight into the thinking of a key player in the Syrian conflict, illuminating the complex challenges and aspirations facing a country navigating a path towards a potential post-war future.