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Hayat Tahrir al-Sham released a new 13-minute video w/ segments from a long meeting Jolani held with several Syrian media activists.
The main goal was to push back against the widely held view that HTS isn't participating in battles/preventing others from joining the fight
The main goal was to push back against the widely held view that HTS isn't participating in battles/preventing others from joining the fight
Additional main points:
* In previous areas that fell to Assad, 70% fell through "reconciliation" and 30% through fighting. HTS launched a campaign to arrest those interested in "reconciliations" and prevented this.
* About 150 regime fighters were killed (fair assessment, imo)
* In previous areas that fell to Assad, 70% fell through "reconciliation" and 30% through fighting. HTS launched a campaign to arrest those interested in "reconciliations" and prevented this.
* About 150 regime fighters were killed (fair assessment, imo)
The goals of the Russian-regime operation is to take over Sahel and Ghab & supposedly protect Hmeimim base. Other goal: to pressure European countries to give money for reconstruction by threatening Turkey & EU interests in displacing people to Turkey.
* HTS met with other [Idlib] factions and today, they started sending reinforcements to the front-lines.
* Better if Turkish-backed FSA open a front with the regime in Aleppo, but they can enter Idlib as long as they don't threaten HTS & arrive straight to the front-lines
* Better if Turkish-backed FSA open a front with the regime in Aleppo, but they can enter Idlib as long as they don't threaten HTS & arrive straight to the front-lines
* People & factions in Idlib now finally understand what HTS knew all along: confrontation is the only way to go. We can not rely on int'l guarantors. Other countries have their own interests. This understanding that confrontation is the only way was lacking in previous years
* The solution Jolani offers to 3 million civilians trapped in Idlib facing intense Russian & regime bombings: Resistance and digging underground shelters across the "liberated" area, remaining steadfast on their land instead of fleeing.
HTS is clearly aware of the widespread view that they're "handing over" or "selling" areas to the regime & trying to counter it. This is the second media appearance by Jolani in 3 days. Prior to this, he has given very few interviews.
Jolani used humor, dressed casually and at times switched to spoken Levantine Arabic, something I've never heard him do previously. He's clearly working hard to win hearts & minds and appear approachable.
