The de facto chief of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has stated the nation is exhausted by conflict and isn’t a menace to its neighbours or to the West.
In an interview with the BBC in Damascus, he referred to as for sanctions on Syria to be lifted.
Sharaa led the lightning offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime lower than two weeks in the past. He is the chief of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant group within the insurgent alliance, and was beforehand identified by his wartime pseudonym of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
He stated HTS must be de-listed as a terrorist organisation. It is designated as one by the UN, US, EU and UK, amongst many others, because it began as a splinter group of al-Qaeda, which it broke away from in 2016.
Sharaa stated HTS was not a terrorist group.
They didn’t goal civilians or civilian areas, he stated. In truth, they thought of themselves to be sufferer of the crimes of the Assad regime. The victims, he stated, shouldn’t be handled the identical manner because the oppressors.
He denied that he needed to show Syria right into a model of Afghanistan.
Sharaa stated the international locations have been very totally different, with totally different traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society. In Syria, he stated, there was a special mindset. He stated he believed in schooling for ladies.
Sharaa was relaxed all through the interview, carrying civilian garments, and tried to supply reassurance to all those that imagine his group has not damaged with its extremist previous.
Many Syrians don’t imagine him.
The actions of Syria’s new rulers within the subsequent few months will point out the type of nation they need Syria to be – and the best way they wish to rule it.
