Hostilities running high between Syria factions

Sara Rashad

Hostilities are running high between the Guardians of Religion Organization, which introduces itself as an arm of al-Qaeda, and Tahrir al-Sham.

The Guardians of Religion emerged for the first time in February 2018. Since then, it has had tense relations with Tahrir al-Sham.

Although Tahrir al-Sham has more fighters than the Guardians of Religion Organization does, it has not taken action to destroy the organization.

Clashes erupted between the two groups in the northwestern Syrian city of Armanāz when Tahrir al-Sham tried to close down the offices of the organization. Both groups deployed their fighters everywhere in the city and around military posts.

The Guardians of Religion accuses Tahrir al-Sham of harassing it more than it does other militant groups in the city.

Guardians of Religion commander Abu Mohamed al-Sudani said on his Telegram channel that his organization always rules by the word of God.

“Sorry to say, there is a lot of incitement against us in the last days,” al-Sudani said.

He called for interference by what he described as “rational people” to prevent fighting between the different factions in the northwestern part of Syria.

However, the Guardians of Religion has previously threatened military escalation against Tahrir al-Sham if the latter kept harassing it.

Shebl Osama, an organization senior officer, said his organization would have to defend itself against aggressions by Tahrir al-Sham.

“We have always warned against fighting between the different factions in this part of Syria,” Osama said.

He said this fighting would only serve the interests of the Russians, the Turks and the Shiites.

A proponent of the Guardians of Religion suggested the killing of Abu Mohamed al-Julani, the commander of Tahrir al-Sham.

Nonetheless, the same man asked the Guardians of Religion not to judge Tahrir al-Sham by the mistakes of its commanders.