HTS chief requires disbanding insurgent factions, unity in post-Assad Syria

Syrian president Assad was toppled by a lightning 11-day insurgent offensive spearheaded by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS), whose fighters and allies swept down from northwest Syria and entered the capital on December 8.

HTS chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani mentioned Monday on the group’s Telegram channel that each one the insurgent factions “would “be disbanded and the fighters skilled to affix the ranks of the defence ministry”.

“All will probably be topic to the legislation,” mentioned Jolani, who now makes use of his actual title, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

He additionally emphasised the necessity for unity in a rustic residence to totally different ethnic minority teams and religions, whereas chatting with members of the Druze neighborhood — a department of Shiite Islam making up about 3% of Syria’s pre-war inhabitants.

“Syria should stay united. There have to be a social contract between the state and all religions to ensure social justice,” he mentioned.

Additionally learn: ‘By no means sought refuge’: Syria’s Bashar al-Assad in first assertion since ouster

A number of nations and organisations have welcomed Assad’s fall however mentioned they have been ready to see how the brand new authorities would deal with minorities within the nation.

Throughout a second assembly with a delegation of British diplomats, the HTS chief additionally spoke “of the significance of restoring relations” with London.

He harassed the necessity to finish “all sanctions imposed on Syria in order that Syrian refugees can return to their nation”, in keeping with remarks reported on his group’s Telegram channel.

HTS is rooted in Syria’s department of Al-Qaeda and proscribed as a terrorist organisation by many Western governments, although it has sought to average its rhetoric.

Because the toppling of Assad, it has insisted that the rights of all Syrians will probably be protected.