Ahmed al-Sharaa, the de facto leader of Syria, recently expressed the country’s exhaustion from war and emphasised that Syria poses no threat to its neighbours or the West.
However, in an interview with the BBC in Damascus, he advocated for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria, stating that such sanctions were originally aimed at the old regime and should not be applied to the current situation.
Having led the rapid offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad’s regime less than a fortnight ago, Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the primary faction in the rebel coalition.
Furthermore, Sharaa refuted claims that he intended to transform Syria into a replica of Afghanistan, citing the distinct societal structures and mindsets of the two countries.
He emphasised his support for women’s education, highlighting the presence of universities in Idlib province under rebel control since 2011, where women comprise over 60% of the student population.
In conclusion, he urged for the removal of HTS from the list of terrorist organisations, arguing that the group does not engage in targeting civilians and perceives themselves as victims of the Assad regime’s atrocities.
Enock Katamba is a Ugandan Journalist and Founder of Uncovered UG, an independent digital news platform covering Uganda and international developments. He reports on politics, national affairs, entertainment, sports, business, education and other stories of public interest.