The defector from Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Saleh al-Hamwi, said on “Telegram,” that “the one who planned and executed the operation that targeted Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, the caliph of ISIS, is an armed group belonging to Tahrir al-Sham sent from Idlib in northern Syria.” He added, “Al-Zubair Al-Hamwi is the leader responsible for sending Tahrir Al-Sham groups to Daraa to cooperate with the Russians against ISIS.”
Al-Hamwi spoke about the involvement of a number of former commanders and security personnel in Tahrir al-Sham in the ranks of the Fifth Corps and the Russian-backed reconciliation formations, including Ammar al-Nabot, who was working in the ranks of the Corps on an official mission by Tahrir al-Sham, and he was killed by detonating an explosive device in front of his house a few months ago.
A group of Salafis recalled important milestones in the direct and indirect relationship and coordination between the Syrian regime and Tahrir al-Sham during the past few years, the most important of which was the deal for the exit of the Tahrir al-Sham groups from Daraa, passing through the areas of the regime and under its protection in the year 2018, and among the terms of the deal at the time was that the eastern groups would be stationed affiliated to Tahrir al-Sham in the areas of the Hama desert, which are under the control of regime forces, with the aim of engaging them in the fight against ISIS.
The Salafists ridiculed the denial statement issued by Tahrir al-Sham, and the leader of the Jihad Coordination Committee, Abu al-Abed Ashadaa, called for the case to be presented to neutral sheikhs to judge it. He said on “Telegram”: “Regarding the proven coordination between Tahrir al-Sham and the regime, their going to Daraa and their meeting with the Chief of Military Security, Louay al-Ali, and their fighting alongside the regime’s soldiers against ISIS, I repeat the offer that was presented before, which is that Abu Muhammad al-Julani chooses three Sheikhs to judge the matter and confirm or deny this relationship between al-Julani and the regime.
A Salafist source close to Tahrir al-Sham told Al-Modon, “The leaks circulated by Salafists opposed to Tahrir al-Sham about the latter’s participation in the battles against ISIS, or the security operation that targeted the organization’s leader, are exaggerated leaks, and unrealistic in many of their aspects.”
He added, “The leadership of Tahrir al-Sham may have already coordinated and communicated with some former groups and elements in Daraa, and they may have already participated in the recent fighting against the organization’s cells in Jassem and the neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad within the local groups, but their fighting is not necessarily carried out in coordination with the leadership in Idlib, or that they have a major role in revealing the hideout of the leader of the organization and in planning and executing the operation, as the Salafis are promoting.
The source continued, “Leaks of this kind are part of the attack and the organized media war waged by the Salafis (former dissidents and former members and leaders in organizations that fought and destroyed Tahrir al-Sham) against Tahrir al-Sham. Salafists always talk about security relations between the regime and Tahrir al-Sham, and they always seek To prove that relationship, which they warn of developing into full normalization with him.