ALEPPO, Syria — The Feb. 3 US Special Forces operation that led to the death of Islamic State (IS) leader 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 role HTS played in Qurayshi’s killing and the possible coordination between the United States and HTS, which controls Idlib. Another group of jihadis accused HTS of treason because it did not interfere to prevent this operation that lasted for more than two hours at the heart of its area of influence, where its security and military staff are heavily deployed. Others have even accused HTS of providing a safe haven for IS leaders and members in Idlib.