Hayat Tahrir al-Sham loses third leader in Syria this year
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a coalition of Islamist groups fighting against regime forces in Idlib, Syria, is facing dissent within its ranks and accusations of corruption by one of its own leaders.
ALEPPO, Syria — A prominent commander of Islamist coalition Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria was arrested Sept. 12 after he posted a video on YouTube criticizing other HTS leaders and alleging corruption.
In his video, titled “To Prevent the Ship From Sinking," Abu al-Abd Ashidaa raised allegations of financial and administrative corruption within the group's leadership. Some observers described Ashidaa’s criticisms as a coup against HTS. The video went viral among jihadi organizations in the northwestern Syria province of Idlib, where HTS is fighting regime forces.
