Defections destroy Tahrir al-Sham amid calls to depose Julani

Aya Ezz

A number of members broke away from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) with the aim of joining the Guardians of Religion organization, which is linked to al-Qaeda, because of their anger at the policies and actions of HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani, while some voices have even called for deposing Julani as a result of his actions recently.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, hundreds of residents of the northern Syrian governorate of Idlib came out to demand deposing Julani due to the violent events that occurred to many civilians at the hands of HTS members.

This comes at a time when HTS is facing many crises and defections from within it, which began after fighting with armed factions in January 2017, and the battles were repeated in early 2018, as HTS, being the most powerful in northern Syria, was able to expel the factions from large areas of Idlib.

HTS controls the most important commercial crossings and extends its control over more than 60% of the land, while the other factions, including Ahrar al-Sham, are only spread in limited areas.

In addition, the policies pursued by Julani caused HTS to decline, while many factions have defected from it, including Jund al-Malahim, Jaysh al-Ahrar and Nour al-Din al-Zenki.

Earlier, Abu al-Abed Ashda, one of the dissident leaders, said that HTS members do not receive their salaries despite the availability of money in the leadership, and when the leaders of the formations are asked to increase their support, the leadership invokes that it has spent the money in other sectors, which are lies that have been exposed on more than one occasion. The starvation policy adopted by HTS greatly affected the morale and performance of the personnel and caused field losses.

“HTS’s monthly income from funds is sufficient for all of its members. It has seized more than $10 million, more than 1,100 vehicles, and large warehouses of weapons, food and medicine from the Zenki movement, and all these funds are controlled by HTS leaders,” he added.

Ashda revealed that HTS leaders focus on collecting taxes, controlling public property, monopolizing trade, confiscating much of the income of other factions, smuggling and other illegal economic activities.

Ashda’s statements angered HTS leaders, who accused him of lying, misleading, and revealing the terrorist group’s secrets.