US secretary of state Antony Blinken confirmed on Saturday that American officials have been in direct communication with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US since 2018.“We’ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties,” Blinken told reporters. HTS recently led a coalition of…
Obaida Arnaout (Picture credit: Afshin Rattansi X handle) Syria’s constitution and parliament will be suspended for three months during a transition period following President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, according to an AFP report citing the new government spokesman.Obaida Arnaout, the new government spokesman, said that a committee will review and amend the constitution. “A judicial and…
Image used for representative purposes TOI correspondent from London: The UK government indicated on Monday that it could consider lifting the ban on Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has toppled the Assad regime in Syria, if the group delivers on its promises like protecting the minorities and people’s rights.HTS has been proscribed…
As Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia by plane, ending the 13 year old civil war, Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stormed his palace looting his belongings. A viral video from inside the palace showed Assad’s lavish car collection, featuring luxury cars including Ferraris, Aston Martins, Rolls-Royces, and BMWs.Videos on social media show looters…
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. (AP photo) Rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Sunday after a swift offensive lasting less than two weeks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, according to Russian news agencies.HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, delivered…
For years, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani was known as a shadowy figure leading Syria’s branch of Al-Qaeda. As the founder of the Al-Nusra Front (ANF), his group was synonymous with extremist ideology, brutal tactics, and a global terrorist entity by the United States in 2013. Yet today, Jolani is crafting a dramatically different image, one that…
Mohammed al-Jolani (File photo) Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who stepped into the spotlight after his Islamist alliance led a decisive offensive that rebels claim has toppled President Bashar al-Assad, ending five decades of Baath Party rule in Syria.Jolani, whose real name is Ahmed al-Sharaa, has a controversial past….
Then Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his wife Anisa Makhlouf with their children (L-R) Maher, Bashar, Bassel, Majd and Bushra. (AFP image) The Assads have ruled Syria for over half a century. On Sunday, rebel forces breached their capital and seat of power Damascus, prompting President Bashar al-Assad to flee and effectively ending the family’s…
Image used for representative purposes only Rebels from the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have announced a significant victory in Syria, claiming to have captured the strategically important city of Homs. The group shared the news on Telegram, shortly after their leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, released a video statement declaring: “We are living in the…
Syrian rebels brought down a statue of Hafez al-Assad, the late father of current President Bashar al-Assad, in the city of Hama. The footage, shows rebels toppling the statue in a central square amid chants denouncing the Assad regime. This follows the rebels’ takeover of Hama after government forces withdrew under heavy pressure. A witness,…
