HTS leader Jolani calls for building a new Syria

Last Updated on December 11, 2024 5:29 am

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the main rebel armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has occupied Damascus, has called for focusing on building a new Syria with everyone, without taking revenge on anyone. He made this call in a victory speech at the historic Umayyad Mosque a few hours after capturing the capital on Sunday. Meanwhile, Hadi al-Bahra, the leader of the international branch of the main Syrian opposition group, has called for an interim government for 18 months before the elections. BBC, Reuters, AFP, Al Jazeera reported.

HTS leader Jolani said, “After the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian people are the legitimate owners of this country and a new history has been written for the entire Middle East.”

The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus is very important in Islamic history. Islamic prophecy says that Jesus (pbuh) will descend to this Umayyad Mosque in Damascus before the Day of Judgment. In a speech at the mosque, Al-Jolani or Ahmed Al-Shara said, “My brothers, after this great victory, a new history is being written in the entire region.” At the same time, he reminded everyone that everyone must work hard to build a new Syria. He called on everyone to thank Allah for this victory. “May Allah not let you fail. This victory belongs to all Syrians, they are all part of this victory,” he said.

Al-Jolani criticized the Iranian government and its role in Syria and said that there will no longer be a government influenced by external forces like Iran.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali, who is in charge of Bashar’s government, said that most of the cabinet members in Damascus are still carrying out official duties. He told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday that we are working to ensure that the interim government’s time is quick and smooth. He said that the security situation in the country has improved significantly compared to the previous days.

A Kremlin source confirmed to Russian media that Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted humanitarian asylum in Russia.

Call for 18-month interim rule: A safe, neutral and calm environment is needed for free and fair elections in Syria. And for this, Hadi al-Bahra, the leader of the international wing of the main Syrian opposition group, has called for an interim rule for up to 18 months before the elections. He told Reuters on the sidelines of the Doha Forum on Sunday. Al-Bahra, the president of the Syrian National Coalition, said that a constitution must be drawn up in Syria within six months, on the basis of which the first elections will be a referendum.

US airstrikes on 75 ISIS bases: The United States carried out airstrikes on 75 bases of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria on Sunday. The US military said that these attacks targeted top leaders, associates and various camps of IS. In a post on social media, the US Central Command said that multiple US aircraft, including B-52s, F-15s and A-10s, struck more than 75 targets.

Israel takes over Golan Heights buffer zone: Israel has temporarily taken over the civilian buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the claim in an announcement on Monday. He said he had ordered the IDF to enter the buffer zone and surrounding command posts from Israeli-occupied territory in the Golan Heights.

Bashar’s residence looted: After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, many people entered the presidential palace and looted it. After the rebels captured Damascus, many people entered Bashar al-Assad’s residence. Among them were women, children and men. Many were seen taking things from there. The angry crowd has vandalized various rooms. They have also set fire to the conference room. In addition, there have been reports of attacks on many government buildings. However, it has not been confirmed who carried out these attacks. To prevent such chaos and looting, a curfew was declared in the capital Damascus for 13 hours. The rebel group said in a statement that the curfew will last from 4 pm local time on Sunday to 5 am on Monday.

The Presidential Palace or Ash Shab (People’s Palace) was built in 1985 and completed in 1990. The presidential palace, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, cost $1 billion to build. The presidential hospital was also located inside the compound, which was built on an area of ​​500,000 square meters. It was also the headquarters of the Republican Guard.