“Will Syria resemble Afghanistan? This question was answered by the leader of the jihadist HTS group, Golani”

The leader of the jihadist group HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), Abu Mohammed Golani, recently addressed several key issues in an interview with western media. Golani, whose real name is Ahmad al-Shara, commented on the situation in Syria and his organization’s role in it.

Golani called for the removal of sanctions imposed on the former Syrian government, arguing that victims and oppressors should not be treated the same. He also called for HTS to be removed from the list of terrorist organizations, citing that it is was splinter group from al-Qaeda and was labeled as a terrorist group by the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, Turkey, and other nations.

Regarding concerns that Syria could become like Afghanistan, Golani rejected the comparison, stating that the two countries were fundamentally different due to their distinct cultural and social structures. He explained that Afghanistan was a tribal society, while Syria had a variety of different ideologies and traditions.

Golani also addressed issues related to women’s rights, stating that women in Idlib had access to education, and that over 60% of university students there were women. However, he declined to answer questions about alcohol consumption in the region, saying it was a legal matter beyond his authority.

Additionally, Golani mentioned plans to establish a committee of legal experts to draft a new constitution for Syria, emphasizing that all leaders would be expected to comply with the new laws once enacted.