Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, has recently worked to attract jihadi groups acting outside the limits of its authority by placing pressure on them and offering them as few as two options: either join the organization and act under its authority or dissolve themselves and leave Idlib.

Observers believe HTS wants to get rid of such groups to avoid jihadis and Salafists from regrouping and rebranding. Also, these observers believe HTS, through these moves, seeks to convey messages to the international community whereby it renounces terrorism, is fighting militants and is a local Syrian component.

Sources from within HTS told Al-Monitor the organization is determined to dissolve all groups operating independently, as it wants to move toward establishing a proper state with proper institutions.

The same sources said the presence of jihadi groups that operate individually prevents HTS’ efforts to turn Idlib into a quasi-state with its own approach and institutions, and this is what HTS wants to achieve in northwest Syria.