HTS leader assures that all weapons in Syria will remain under “state control”

MADRID Dec. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The leader of the Syrian jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), Ahmed Hussein al Shara, known as Abu Mohamed al Golani, assured this Sunday that all weapons in Syria will remain under “state control”, after the fall of the Syrian regime. Bashar al Assad, who fled on December 8 after a lightning offensive by a coalition of jihadists and rebels.

“The logic of the State is different from the logic of the revolution and we will not allow the presence of any weapon outside the control of the State. We have reached an agreement with the factions on a unified leadership and the creation of a Ministry of Defense and the majority of them agree with it,” he declared at a press conference from the capital, Damascus, after meeting at the Presidential Palace with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan.

Al Shara has explained that “in the coming days” he will announce to the Ministry of Defense the creation of a committee of military leaders to develop a structure for the Army: “Then the factions will announce their dissolution and we will not allow weapons to leave the State,” since “loose weapons lead to the destabilization of the State,” he indicated, according to Syria TV.

As he has highlighted, he has discussed with Fidan – who has expressed Ankara’s willingness to help them so they have agreed to “build appropriate strategic relations” for the future – “the issue of strengthening the new Government, especially the Ministry of Defense, and the exclusive provision of weapons in the hands of the State”.

On the other hand, he pointed out that “half of the Syrian people are outside the country, the economic infrastructure is destroyed and the challenges” that exist “are great”: “We must alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people as much as possible.” This is how he has requested the lifting of the sanctions, since the sanctioned regime has already been overthrown.

“There must be an international consensus on stability in Syria, unity in its territories and the lifting of sanctions. The overthrown regime worked for half a century to intimidate minorities and foment conflict, and we are working to protect minorities “, he stated.

The offensive in Syria, launched on November 27 from the province of Idlib and led by the HTS group, allowed jihadists and rebels to take the capital, Damascus, and put an end to the regime of the Al Assad family, in power since 1971. in the face of a constant withdrawal of government troops, backed by Russia and Iran.