Syrian jihadist group ramps up efforts to oust rivals from Idlib
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, has asked a Chechen jihadist group to either join its ranks or leave the battlefronts, in a move that many consider to be part of HTS' policy to have its name removed from international terrorist lists.
IDLIB, Syria — Well-informed sources among jihadist groups in Syria told Al-Monitor that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has recently asked the Jund al-Sham (Soldiers of the Levant) group to leave its posts in the Latakia countryside and dissolve itself, or join the HTS ranks.
The sources stated that HTS asked the Chechen commander of Jund al-Sham, Muslim al-Shishani, to join its ranks and submit to its policies or to leave its areas of control and go to the areas held by the Free Syrian Army factions close to Ankara.
According to the sources, Shishani rejected HTS’ offer. Instead, he asked HTS to leave his faction to fight the Syrian government forces only, vowing not to interfere in the social and political affairs of Idlib, which is under the control of HTS.
This information was confirmed by American journalist Bilal Abdul Karim, who posted a video on YouTube OGN TV channel June 27, saying that HTS offered Shishani to join its ranks or leave its areas of control without setting a deadline. He continued that Shishani rejected the offer.
