No more war
Yesterday, leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani of the opposition organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made his first statements to Western media since leading the coalition to overthrow the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Sham. Assad.
In an interview with Sky News in Damascus, Mr. al-Jolani tried to dispel outside doubts about HTS’s past and emphasized that Syria is moving towards development, reconstruction and stability. “The people are exhausted from war. The country is not ready and will not rush into another war,” Mr. al-Jolani pledged, saying the world “has nothing to fear.”
The future is uncertain for Syria after opposition forces overthrew President al-Assad
The leader’s real name is Ahmed al-Sharaa, who fought against the US military in Iraq in the 2000s. His organization was once a branch of al-Qaeda in Syria and was listed by the US and many countries. terrorist but over the years has tried to sever ties with its extremist past to claim to have become more moderate. HTS’s sweep across Syria in just two weeks has aroused fear among minority groups in the country such as Kurds, Alawites or Christians. However, Mr. al-Jolani affirmed that the source of fear comes from Mr. al-Assad’s government and its allies, so “removing them is the solution for Syria.”
Syrian people in the capital Damascus on December 11
On the same day, new Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir backed by HTS declared that now is the time for people to “enjoy stability and peace”, pledging to lead the transitional government until March 2025.
America fired a signal
The overthrow of the al-Assad government is a new turning point, forcing the US to reassess its interests in Syria. Observers say that the United States has not had a clear policy regarding Syria for at least the last three presidents. Although it condemns Mr. al-Assad’s government, the US does not prioritize forcing him out because of suspicions about the main opposition groups. In Syria, the US maintains about 900 soldiers and supports Kurdish forces.
US President-elect Donald Trump recently called Syria a “mess” and said Washington should not get involved. However, observers do not rule out the possibility of him changing his stance because in the past he was willing to negotiate with opposing US parties such as the Taliban and North Korea, according to AFP.
Israel said it did not want conflict with the new government despite air strikes against Syria
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has suggested the possibility of recognizing a future Syrian government that is truly credible, inclusive and secular, must commit to respecting minority rights, allow humanitarian aid and prevent terrorists from using the territory as a base. The UN also said it would remove HTS from the terrorist list if it committed to building an inclusive government.
Reuters reported yesterday that Mr. Blinken will visit Ankara on December 13 to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss the situation in Syria. Clashes are said to be still taking place between Turkish-backed groups and the Kurds, America’s partners in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).
Iran accuses the US and Israel of Syria
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on December 11 gave his first speech about Syria since Bashar al-Assad was ousted from the presidency and flown to Russia.
“It is clear that what happened in Syria was a joint plan of the US and the Zionist regime (meaning Israel). A neighboring Syrian government has also been playing a clear role in this. All Everyone sees this, but the mastermind and command center are in America and the Zionist regime,” Iranian media quoted Khamenei as saying, adding that he had clear evidence.
