Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organizes soccer league for fighters, angers Idlib jihadis

Commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s military wing Abu Hassan al-Hamwi sparked widespread controversy among rival jihadis in Idlib after attending the final game in the soccer league recently organized for HTS fighters.
Syrian men watch the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification soccer game between Iran and Syria, played in Tehran, in the rebel-held town of Binnish on the outskirts of Idlib, Syria, Sept. 5, 2017.
Syrian men watch the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification soccer game between Iran and Syria, played in Tehran, in the rebel-held town of Binnish on the outskirts of Idlib, Syria, Sept. 5, 2017. - Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images
KhaledAlKhateb.jpg
Khaled al-Khateb
@khaleedalkhteb

ALEPPO, Syria — Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, is paying great attention to sports activities, especially soccer, through the Syrian Football Federation affiliated with the Directorate of Sports and Youth in the HTS-affiliated Salvation Government. 

The federation organized in late March a first-of-its-kind soccer league championship, in which fighters from HTS’ military wing took part.

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