ALEPPO, Syria — The Feb. 3 US Special Forces operation that led to the loss of life of Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi has angered many jihadis opposing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib.
The jihadis raised questions on the function HTS performed in Qurayshi’s killing and the potential coordination between the US and HTS, which controls Idlib. One other group of jihadis accused HTS of treason as a result of it didn’t intrude to stop this operation that lasted for greater than two hours on the coronary heart of its space of affect, the place its safety and navy employees are closely deployed. Others have even accused HTS of offering a protected haven for IS leaders and members in Idlib.
The controversy escalated amongst jihadis in mild of HTS’ feedback on the raid, because it came about on the coronary heart of its space of management and safety stronghold, and beneath the radar of its fighters who had been carefully watching what occurred.
In response to the accusations, HTS stated in a Feb. 6 assertion that it didn’t know that Qurayshi lived within the protected home within the city of Atmeh earlier than his loss of life, and careworn its rejection of the US raid.
“We weren’t conscious of the raid forward of time,” it learn, stating that HTS didn’t know who resided in the home. On the similar time, HTS careworn that it’ll proceed to thrust back IS’ crimes.
The assertion learn, “The raid raised new issues amongst Syrians, and it resulted in casualties amongst civilians, together with girls and youngsters, which raised concern and panic among the many displaced [living in the camps near the site of the raid] who fled the regime and Russian shelling to seek out refuge within the border areas.”
It continued that safety within the space is the accountability of the native authorities, that are defending the world from the Syrian authorities and all elements which might be making an attempt to tamper with its safety.
The US raid within the border city of Atmeh, north of Idlib, was adopted by two hours of clashes between the attacking forces and people who had been on the home. The operation resulted within the killing of the IS chief, along with at the very least 13 folks, together with six kids and 4 girls.
A supply near the jihadis in Idlib, who declined to be named, informed Al-Monitor, “The way in which HTS handled the killing of [Qurayshi] raised many questions among the many jihadis opposing HTS, particularly those that are affiliated with al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din.”
He stated, “HTS imposed a safety cordon across the web site [during the raid], and its members had been deployed in its neighborhood, watching the course of the operation with out interfering. That is what pushed the jihadis to accuse HTS of treason, of getting data of the operation and of offering a positive safety setting that facilitated its implementation.”
The supply added, “HTS denying data of the raid and its timing didn’t persuade the jihadis in Idlib. What if the regime forces or the Russian forces had been to hold out this raid and HTS leaders who’re stationed in navy and safety headquarters near that place had been the goal? Would HTS have stood idly by because it did in Atmeh? After all not. The jihadis think about HTS’ claims as false. It’s a mere try and cowl up their involvement within the killing of Qurayshi.”
Talha al-Masir, aka Abu Shuaib al-Masri, an Egyptian jihadist who opposes HTS and who resides in Idlib, stated on Telegram, “The crusader’s [US forces] touchdown in Atmeh amid a heavy HTS navy presence within the space — by means of its safety criminals on border posts alongside the [border with] the Olive Department space, the crossings and checkpoints, in addition to the peaceable means it handled the crusaders — clearly verify that [HTS leader Abu Mohammed] al-Golani’s actual mission has nothing to do with defending Muslims, and the world and that the repeated defeats and lack of land are its anticipated outcomes.”
Issam al-Khatib, a former decide who defected from HTS, wrote on Twitter, “I informed you that Golani’s safety forces are on alert and have work to do. Certainly they remained on alert till the US touchdown started and ended. Then Golani’s followers stormed the place, on the lookout for gold or cash, just like the gold they discovered the place the previous teams’ chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in Barisha two years in the past.”
Saudi jihadist Majid al-Rashed stated on Telegram, “Had you identified Golani’s mind-set, which relies on deception and insult and [on the idea] that the tip justifies the means, you’d suppose that he collaborates with the [US] intelligence.”
He added in one other submit, “I’ve little doubt that Abu Mohammed al-Golani and a few of his commanders coordinate with US intelligence, and that denying data of the touchdown is an outright lie. The operation lasted three hours. What did they do after they knew? They protected them.”
Abdul Rahman Abu Hamza al-Kurdi, a jihadist who defected from HTS, stated on Telegram, “The protector of the Russians [in reference to HTS] deserves the title of IS protector, after [HTS] protected IS beneath its wing and harbored [IS] in its space, because it did in Idlib a number of years in the past in change for cash.”
What additional fueled the jihadis’ suspicions about HTS’ cooperation with the US forces is [HTS] crackdown on opposing jihadist teams in Idlib, coinciding with the loss of life of Qurayshi. On Feb. 2, HTS arrested 20 jihadis, together with Abu al-Bara al-Tunisi, a outstanding Hurras al-Din chief. The jihadis imagine that HTS plans to hold on with its crackdown and can focus extra on international jihadis coming from the Maghreb nations.
