Latest news with #Hay'atTahrirAl-Sham
Memri
5 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekly: July 5-12, 2025
The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@ with "Membership" in the subject line.) Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to media@ Please include your name, title, and organization in your email. EXCLUSIVE: Video Attributed To Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Military Wing Hasm Movement Documents Military Training By Group's Operatives, Threatens Egypt On July 4, 2025, a video circulated on social media attributed to Harakat Sawa'ed Misr (the Arms of Egypt Movement - Hasm), designated by the Egyptian government as a terrorist organization, viewed as the military arm of the country's Muslim Brotherhood (MB) affiliate. EXCLUSIVE: Chechen Jihadi Commander Fighting With Ukraine Abd Al-Hakim Al-Shishani Holds Live Question-And-Answer Session On Telegram, Chechen Account On X Reports A Chechen account on X reported that Rustam Azhiev, otherwise known as Abd Al-Hakim Al-Shishani, took part in a question-and-answer session on Telegram. EXCLUSIVE: Syrian Jihadi Cleric Abu Yahya Al-Shami Warns That Revocation Of Terrorist Designation For Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Comes In Exchange For 'Western-Zionist Peace Terms' With Syria Abu Yahya Al-Shami, a Syrian jihadi cleric, dismissed the United States' decision to revoke the terrorist designation for Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) as a plan to impose normalization with Israel on Syria. EXCLUSIVE: Iran-Backed Militias In Iraq Criticize U.S. For Revoking Terrorist Designation For Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), Calling It 'Hypocrisy Of The Great Satan' Iran-backed militias in Iraq criticized the U.S. decision to revoke the terrorist designation of Ha'yat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). EXCLUSIVE: Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlet On Telegram Lambasts Muslims For Celebrating NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani: His Loyalty Is To 'Nonbelievers' And 'Homosexuals' On July 1, 2025, a Telegram channel supportive of the Islamic State (ISIS) posted commentary lashing out at Muslims who celebrated Zohran Mamdani's win in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, referring to his Shi'ite Muslim faith and his liberal political beliefs. EXCLUSIVE: Al-Qaeda Supporter Claims Communicating With Jailed Texas Islamic State (ISIS) Supporter While He Was Planning Attack On Christian Concert On June 17, 2025, a man was indicted on two felony charges of interstate threatening communication for planning an attack on a Christian concert via communications on the online gaming platform Roblox. EXCLUSIVE: Jihadi Clerics Castigate Group Of Europe-Based Imams On Tour In Israel As 'Manifest Apostates'; Dutch Mosque Suspends Imam Whose Personal Action 'Is Completely Separate From The Vision Of The Mosque' On July 7, 2025, a delegation of about a dozen imams and Muslim community leaders visited Israel from several European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. EXCLUSIVE: Terrorist-Designated Samidoun, Linked To Palestinian Front For The Liberation Of Palestine (PFLP), Publishes Online 'Zine' Offering Guidance For Those Facing Terrorist Designation On July 4, 2025, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, linked to the militant Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) group and designated a terrorist organization in the U.S. and Canada, announced that it was launching a new zine, titled "What to Do When You, Too, Become a 'Terrorist.'" Jihadi Group 'Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions' Beefs Up Organizational Structure, Appoints Media Emir And Deputy; Names Three Official Media Foundations And Launches A Magazine The Syrian jihadi group, "Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions," an obscure Syrian Salafi-jihadi group which began claiming attacks on religious minorities, particularly Alawites and Druze, in February 2025, continued to beef up its organizational structure by appointing media wing staffers and establishing official media foundations. Jihadi Group 'Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions': Reciprocal Arson Attacks In Syrian Sahel 'Part Of Ongoing, Raging Conflict' The Syrian Salafi jihadi group, "Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions," began targeting religious minorities, particularly Alawites and Druze, in February 2025. Jihadi Group 'Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions' Leader Appoints Egyptian Operative As Chief Commander Of 'Damascus And Rif Dimashq Operations Room' On July 1, 2025, the Syrian jihadi group, "Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions," an obscure Syrian Salafi-jihadi group which began claiming attacks on religious minorities, particularly Alawites and Druze in February 2025, continued to highlight its organizational modus operandi, priorities, and targets, and to increase its presence on the Telegram messaging app. Jihadi Group 'Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions' Faces Sharp Rebuke From Cleric Over Sectarian Attacks, Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Rhetoric, And Controversial Fatwas The Syrian jihadi group, "Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions," an obscure Syrian Salafi-jihadi group which began claiming attacks on religious minorities, particularly Alawites and Druze in February 2025, published several posts on its official Telegram channel responding to accusations of recklessness, shari'a ignorance, and affiliation with the Islamic State (ISIS). Istanbul-Based 'Global Commission Of The Prophet's Supporters' Publishes Archival Article For Palestinian Prisoner Mahmoud Kleibi Denouncing Trump's 'Deal Of The Century'; Accusing Arabs Of Complicity, Calling For Palestinian Unity, Resistance Instead Of Peace Negotiations On July 1, 2025, an Istanbul-based organization, The Global Commission of The Prophet's Supporters, released issue 38 of its monthly magazine, featuring an archival article originally published in October 2019. Board Member Of Istanbul-Based 'Global Commission Of Prophet's Supporters' Cautions Muslims Against 'Zionist-Crusader' Projects, Citing Prophetic Warning On July 1, 2025, an Istanbul-based organization, The Global Commission of The Prophet's Supporters, released issue 38 of its monthly magazine, featuring an article by Sheikh Mukhtar bin Al-Arabi Mumin, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Commission. Secretary General Of Istanbul-Based Global Commission Of The Prophet's Supporters: 'Al-Aqsa Flood Is Divine Catalyst For Global Change' On July 1, 2025, an Istanbul-based organization, Global Commission of The Prophet's Supporters, published issue 38 of its monthly magazine, featuring an article by Dr. Hussein Abdel 'Aal, a member of the Commission's General Secretariat. Syrian And Lebanese Jihadi Groups Claim Arson On Syrian Coast Targeting 'Apostate' Alawites, 'Criminals' Of Former Syrian Regime On July 2, 2025, large brushfires broke out along the Syrian coast and quickly spread due to the hot and dry weather conditions and strong winds. Islamic Resistance Front In Syria - Formidable In Might Militia Eulogizes Deputy Commander-In-Chief Wounded While Waging Jihad On July 6, 2025, the general command of the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria - Formidable in Might militia, posted an official statement on its Telegram channel to report the death of its deputy commander-in-chief "while fulfilling his duty to wage jihad on the battlefields of the resistance and the ribat [guarding the frontiers of Islam]." Newly Formed Palestinian Group That Previously Claimed Rocket Attack From Syria, Now Claims Responsibility For Fourth Attack On IDF From Gaza Strip On July 1, 2025, the newly-formed Palestinian group posted a claim of responsibility on its Telegram channel for firing two rockets at 19:00 on the same day at a cluster of "Zionist enemy" forces east of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Holds Elite Unit Military Exercise 'In Advance Of Confrontation With Zionist Enemy And Its Supporters' On July 1, 2025, the Houthi Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis) official Military Media website, posted an approximately 20-minute video that showed a military exercise held by the Houthi Border Guard titled: You Are Not Alone. Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Claims Attacking Israel With Ballistic Missile, Three Drones On July 1, 2025, the armed forces spokesman of Yemen's Iran-backed Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis), issued a written statement in both Arabic and English via his Telegram channel, along with a video statement, claiming a ballistic missile attack on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, as well as three drone attacks on Israeli targets. Houthis Target 'Magic Seas' Ship In Red Sea: Vessel Sunk Completely On July 7, 2025, the armed forces of Iran-backed Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) announced a military operation targeting the "Magic Seas" ship in the Red Sea, citing its violation of a maritime navigation ban imposed on vessels linked to Israel. Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) Posts Video Of Attack That Sank 'Magic Seas' Vessel, Recording Of Communication Exchange With Captain On July 8, 2025, the official military outlet of the Iran-backed Ansar Allah (Houthi) Movement released a 4-minute 55-second video film clip purportedly documenting the circumstances that preceded the targeting of the "Magic Seas" vessel in the Red Sea, causing it to sink completely. Houthi Supreme Political Council President Praises The Country's Armed Forces For 'Forcing The Zionist Enemy To Flee' Yemen; Reaffirms Support For Gaza: 'No Zionist Aggression Can Deter Our People From Supporting Gaza' The President of the Houthi Supreme Political Council in Yemen threated Israel as he praised the effectiveness of Yemen's armed forces and reaffirmed support for Gaza. Yemeni Writer Claims Israel's Strikes Against Yemen Carry 'Operational Challenges' And Undisclosed 'Surprises': Support For Gaza Will Continue Regardless Of Outcomes On July 3, 2025, the official website of the Ansar Allah Houthi Movement published an article stating that the Iran-backed militia's position to continue to support Gaza through military action will not change, no matter the outcome of potential Israeli strikes against Yemen. Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Reject Call To Dismantle Issued By Iraqi Shi'ite Cleric Al-Sadr: 'Weapons Of Resistance Given To Mujahideen By Hidden Imam And Only He Can Reclaim Them' On July 3, 2025, a prominent Iraqi Shi'ite scholar posted an official statement on his Telegram channel in which he called for a boycott on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iraq, scheduled to be held on November 11, 2025. Islamic State (ISIS) Tallies Attacks Worldwide In First Half Of 2025: 3,193 Dead And Wounded In 620 Operations, Somalia Tops Casualty List On July 4, 2025, the Islamic State's (ISIS) official news agency released an infographic tallying the number of operations carried out by ISIS affiliates worldwide in the first half of 2025. ISIS Weekly Editorial Urges Jihad, Condemns Materialism And Muslims Who Abstain From Fighting On July 3, 2025, the Islamic State's (ISIS) weekly newsletter issue 502, published an editorial titled, "Seekers of the Sublime," which glorifies jihad and martyrdom as the ultimate expressions of spiritual ambition, while condemning materialism and Muslims who abstain from fighting. Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) Claims It Killed Government Tribal Assistant Commissioner And Four Police Officers In Roadside Bombing In Northwestern Pakistan On July 2, 2025, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed it had carried out a roadside bombing targeting the vehicle of a Pakistan government staffer, an assistant commissioner, in Bajaur district, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, along the border with Afghanistan, killing five and wounding several. ISKP Magazine Questions Silence Of Islamic Governments On Muslims' Suffering: 'Turkey, Egypt, And Pakistan Have Strong Military Capabilities. Despite All That, It Is A Disgrace That Our Ummah Lacks The Courage To Fight, To Be United' An article titled "The Weakened Muslim Communities: The Khilafah Is The Only Solution" in the latest issue of the English-language monthly magazine published by a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), questions what the author calls the silence of Muslim rulers on the sufferings of Muslims, whether in Palestine, Kashmir, or Myanmar, thereby weakening Muslim communities worldwide. Anti-ISIS Channel Exposes Alleged Islamic State Activity In Lebanon A series of posts published on June 24 and July 2, 2025, by an anti-Islamic State (ISIS) channel on an Al-Qaeda-operated server has revealed alleged details about ISIS activities in Lebanon and southern Syria. Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Group Blames Rocket, Drone Attacks In Iraq On Iran-Backed Militias, Rejects ISIS Involvement At about 11:30 PM on June 30, 2025, four Katyusha rockets struck the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, three of them falling on Kirkuk International Airport and the adjacent airbase and another in the Al-'Uroubah residential neighborhood. User Of Islamic State (ISIS)-Operated Encrypted Chat Declares Intent To Emigrate For Jihad, Join ISIS Media Groups To Attain Promised Celestial Virgins From July 1 to 3, 2025, a user of an Islamic State (ISIS)-operated server posted a series of English-language messages on the platform expressing his desire to be granted hoor al-'ayn. Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlet Slams Taliban-Russia Alliance, Claims It Serves Western Agendas, Frames Counterterrorism Cooperation As 'Tools' To Win Favor From 'Disbelieving' Powers On July 3, 2025, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Moscow's decision to remove the Afghan Taliban from its terrorism lists, becoming the first country to recognize the Taliban government. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Group For The Support Of Islam And Muslims (GSIM) Kills More Than A Dozen Soldiers In Attacks On Burkinabe And Malian Armies; Photos Show Looted Weapons, Vehicles, And Ammunition The media arm of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), Al-Qaeda's affiliated in the Sahel, released photo sets documenting attacks on the Malian and Burkinabe Armies, which killed more than a dozen soldiers. In Five-Day Span, Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims 15 Attack Across Sahel From July 3-7, 2025, the media arm of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), also known as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), claimed responsibility for 15 attacks across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, reportedly killing five Burkinabe soldiers and seizing military outposts across the Sahel, together with weapons, vehicles, and other spoils. Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Wave Of Attacks Against Military Forces In Burkina Faso And Mali On July 2, 2025, the media arm of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), released a statement claiming responsibility for a June 30 attack carried out by GSIM fighters on a military outpost in the village of Haorima, located in Ouahigouya Province. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Media Arm Reports GSIM Activity Expansion To Senegal, Claims It Will Undermine Regional Security On July 2, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), published an article on its website concerning "the expansion of operations by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), also known as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), near the border of Senegal." Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims Killing Over Eight Soldiers In Series Of Attacks In Eastern Kenya On July 4-5, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), issued several statements claiming responsibility for attacks in Kenya. Al-Shabab Accuses US-Trained Somali Special Forces Of 'Dangerous Escalation' After Allegedly Massacring Civilians On Outskirts Of Afgoye, Somalia Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Al-Shabab, accused US-trained Somali special forces of committing a massacre on the outskirts of Afgoye, in which a whole family and child were reportedly killed. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims Killing A Somali Intelligence Commander While Seizing Moqokori City In Central Somalia On July 7, 2025, the military leadership of Al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab Movement) released a statement claiming responsibility for a "sweeping attack" which resulted in the complete control of Moqokori city in Hiran province, central Somalia. Escalating Conflict In Somalia, Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims Full Control Of Moqokori City Following 'Martyrdom' Operation Targeting Main Militia Command Center On July 7, 2025, the military leadership of Al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab) issued a statement announcing that its fighters had seized complete control of Moqokori city in Hiran province, central Somalia. Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Releases Video Featuring Confession By Operative Who Allegedly Spied For 'Zionist Emiratis' Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a video in which one of the group's former operatives confessed to spying on AQAP for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Jamaat-Ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Emir Expresses Support For Message By Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Leader, Echoes His Directives To Attack U.S., 'Zionist' Targets Worldwide On July 5-6, 2025, a user of an Al-Qaeda-operated encrypted server shared English and Arabic versions of a message by the emir of jihadi group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), expressing support for a June 7 video message by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leader. Canada-Based Pro-Al-Qaeda Cleric Lashes Out Against Hamas For Refusing Ceasefire Deals, Demands They Exit Gaza On July 2, 2025, a Canada-based pro-Al-Qaeda (AQ) cleric published a post on his Telegram channel attacking Hamas for refusing to accept a ceasefire deal. Labeling Arab Regimes 'Traitors' For Ties With Israel, U.S., Prominent Al-Qaeda Supporter Calls For Their Overthrow To Implement Shari'a, Liberate Palestine On July 6, 2025, a prominent Al-Qaeda supporter released a six-page pamphlet titled "Purifying the Path of Liberation and Destroying the Thrones to Dissolve the Borders." Afghan Outlet Investigates Afghanistan's Black Market: After Fall Of Kabul, Taliban Procured Over 358,000 Weapons, Including 64,000 Machine Guns And 25,000 Grenade Launchers, 22,000 Vehicles, 16,000 Night Vision Devices A recent Persian-language report published by Afghanistan International investigates the flourishing black market where weapons are bought and sold in Afghan provinces as well as in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, and notes that the U.S.-made weapons in high demand, marking the "end of the Kalashnikov era." Former Afghan Mujahideen Commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: 'If The Israel-Iran War Ends In The Manner That Tel Aviv And The Engineers Of This War Desire, Then Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, And Pakistan Will Not Remain Safe From Its Harm' On June 16, 2025, an Afghan media outlet published a Pashtu-language article in which the author, former Afghan mujahideen commander and leader of Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, warned that if the Israel-Iran war ended on Western terms, neither Turkey nor Pakistan would remain safe. Hizb-ut-Tahrir Afghanistan: Military Preparedness Is Essential For Jihad; 'If The Goal Is Only Defense And Survival, Which Is An Instinctive Matter, It Will Be No Different From Unbeliever States' On June 25, 2025, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Afghanistan published a Dari-language article arguing that advanced military preparedness is a prerequisite for jihad.
Memri
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Qatar Incites To Open A Front Against Israel On The Syrian Border In The Guise Of Popular Resistance
Introduction Since Israel's deployment of forces in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the advent of the new regime there, Qatar has been acting to open a new front against Israel on the Syrian border in the guise of popular resistance. Qatar has made direct attempts to recruit Syrian activists for this purpose, sometimes going over the head of the new Syrian regime, headed by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, aka Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, previously the head of the Islamist terror organization Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham. It should be noted that Qatar's attempts to open a new front against Israel in Syria could undermine the new regime's efforts to cultivate a moderate and pragmatic image, efforts that Qatar – which is sponsoring the new regime – has itself been promoting. As part of the attempt to open this front, the Qatari government and non-government press has published articles and interviews with Syrian "military experts" warning that the real goal of Israel's military presence in Syria is to divide the country in order to take control of it and of the entire region. The articles call on the Syrian people to rise up and foil this Israeli plan – by staging protests but also through armed activity. They explain that the new Syrian regime, which Qatar supports, currently prefers to adopt a policy of silence and of tolerating the Israeli presence because it lacks the military power to fight it, and also because rebuilding Syria and attracting foreign investment are currently top priorities. Therefore, they say, the task of fighting Israel falls to the Syrian people. Yasser Abu Hilala, a former director-general of Qatar's Al-Jazeera Network, even noted that such popular action would "help the [Syrian] government in its strategy of silence." Calls for Syrians to carry out armed activity against Israel are also heard from members in the Doha-based International Union of Muslims Scholars (IUMS), which is sponsored by Qatar and serves as one of its tools for spreading terrorist Islamist and anti-Western ideology. It should be stressed that Qatar is a prominent supporter of the new Syrian regime and is heavily involved in Syria, including through influence on Syrian decision-makers,[1] as evident, for example, in the appointment of Hamza Mustafa, a close associate of the Qatari regime, as information minister.[2] The Qatari efforts to encourage armed popular resistance against Israel in Syria are apparently aimed at fostering a Syrian strategy of struggle against Israel ostensibly without involvement of the authorities. Syria is not the only arena in which Qatar incites armed action against Israel in the guise of "resistance." It is also known as the main supporter and financer of Hamas, and the Qatari media, especially Al-Jazeera, welcomed the October 7 attack against Israel and helped Hamas with media and information campaigns.[3] In addition, Qatari journalists celebrated the November 2024 attack on Israeli football fans who were visiting Amsterdam for a match.[4] Furthermore, on March 31, the IUMS issued a fatwa enjoining all Muslims and Islamic countries to embark on jihad against Israel, calling this the religious duty of every believer.[5] Qatar is also working to strengthen the Syrian front against Israel by reconsolidating Hamas's presence in that country, after the organization's standing in Syria grew precarious due to unstable relations with the previous regime.[6] Since Al-Sharaa took office, there have been increasing reports in the Arab media about contacts between his regime and the Hamas leadership. These Qatari efforts are at odds with international pressure on Al-Sharaa, especially American pressure, to prevent terror activity against Israel in Syria. This report reviews Qatar's incitement and encouragement of popular action against Israel in Syria. Israel's "Occupation" In Syria Threatens Regional Stability; Only "Deadly Military Pressure" Will Cause It To Withdraw As mentioned, since Israel deployed military forces in southern Syria to prevent hostile elements, both Iran-backed militias and jihadists, from approaching its border, Qatar has been harshly attacking this move, stating that Israel is threatening not only Syria and its territorial integrity but the stability of the region as a whole. A statement issued by the Qatari foreign ministry on December 9, 2024, condemned the "Israeli occupation" of the buffer zone on the Syrian border, calling it "a dangerous development and a blatant attack on Syria's sovereignty and integrity, as well as a flagrant violation of international law," and adding that "the Israeli occupation's policy of imposing facts on the ground, and its attempts to occupy Syrian territory, will lead to ever-increasing violence and tension in the region."[7] A March 16, 2025 editorial in the government daily Al-Watan said: "…The Syrian people are facing immense challenges, not least of them the Israeli attempts to divide this Arab country by feeding the zealotry and sectarian conflicts [in it] … in order to thwart the dream that [the Syrians] managed to realize recently [i.e., the overthrow of the Assad regime]." The editorial claimed further that Israel seeks "to divide the entire region into sectarian entities in order to ensure its own survival and expansion," and that "the Syrians have struggled and paid the price of their revolution in blood. Today they deserve support and assistance, because the plots being hatched by Israel and several other forces ultimately target all the Arabs…"[8] Cartoon in Qatari government daily: The Israeli serpent, which already has Gaza in its grip, sinks its fangs into Syria as well (Al-Watan, Qatar, December 20, 2024) An article by Iraqi journalist Jassem Al-Shamari in the Qatari government daily Al-Sharq stressed that the only way to drive Israel out of the territories it has occupied is through "deadly military pressure." Al-Shamari wrote: "Israel's claim that its measures [in Syria] are temporary are a trap, [an attempt] to subdue [concerns] and deceive the international and Arab public. Past experience shows that Israel does not withdraw from any territory it seizes unless subjected to deadly military pressure."[9] The New Regime Is Currently Unable To Act Against Israel, So The Syrian People Must Do So In Its Stead Some articles in the Qatari press defended the decision of the new Syrian regime – which Qatar seeks to sponsor – to refrain from responding to the military activity Israel has been carrying out in Syria since the ouster of the Assad regime. This activity has included attacks on bases and arms depots of the Assad regime, as well as the deployment of forces in a buffer zone along the border to prevent the approach of hostile forces. The articles explained that, currently, the regime's top priority is to rebuild and reunite the country, and to this end it seeks to establish good relations with the West in order to elicit aid and the lifting of sanctions. As a result, it is temporarily unable to act against Israel, and the people are called upon to do so in its stead. An editorial published in the London-based Qatari daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi on December 25, 2024, some two weeks after Israel's deployment of forces in southern Syria, stated: "The new Syrian Administration, which is [still] feeling its way, faces immense challenges, so its top priorities are clearly… to ensure internal stability and peace so as to reassure the Syrians, their Arab surroundings and the entire world and prepare the ground for economic and political reforms and for extricating Syria from the burdensome economic and political sanctions. "It is only natural that the leader of the new administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, should take the measure of declaring that Syria is exhausted and has no intention of fighting the Israelis.[10] But it is just as natural that the Syrians, who are directly impacted by Israel's invasion, should oppose what is happening with the simple means at their disposal, by organizing demonstrations and protests and opposing any cooperation with Israel. It is also natural that this peaceful resistance should develop means to confront Israel…"[11] Former Al-Jazeera director-general Yasser Abu Hilala likewise addressed the factors that, in his opinion, currently keep the Syrian regime from confronting Israel and therefore compel the Syrian people to take the initiative instead. He wrote on January 31, 2025 in the London-based Qatari daily Al-Arabi Al-Jadid: "…The five priorities listed by the new Syrian president[12] indicate that the campaign [against Israel] has been postponed, [but] not canceled. Anyone committed to the Syrian revolution hopes this [is so], because it is inconceivable that the Syrians should forget the issue of Palestine, or that of the Golan, given that one million [Syrians] were displaced from [the Israeli Golan], including President Al-Sharaa [himself]. It is also impossible for Syria to relinquish its water [rights], for [the waters of] Mount Hermon and the Sea of Galilee are Syria's lifeblood. [However,] right now the priority is to build a strong Syria that can obtain its rights from the Zionist enemy. It is impossible to enter the fray unprepared. The rebels launched the campaign to liberate [Syria from Assad, and managed to reach] Damascus on December 8, 2024, because they had prepared for this moment for several years. The campaign against the [Israeli] enemy must not begin at the place and time convenient for the enemy… The enemy wants a broad conflict in which it will have the upper hand, in order to realize its plan to divide Syria and put it back together based on an alliance of minorities… "The new leadership knows… that its main task, of liberating Syria from the tyrannical [Assad] regime, has ended, and that today it must build the new Syria over the ruins of the old. To do this, Syria must be removed from the sanctions list. Any conflict with Israel means that the American sanctions over the entire country will remain in place… The [Syrian] state's policy of silence, tolerance and disregard [of Israel's military activity] is justified… But silence on the part of the people of the [Syrian] homeland, which would help the enemy, would be wrong. [Syrian] society must work to strengthen Syrian unity, as happened in the villages of the Daraa [region] that were attacked by Israel[13]… This will help the government [while it maintains] its policy of silence." Abu Hilala noted Al-Sharaa's years-long commitment to the liberation of Al-Aqsa, not just the liberation of the Golan, and contended that statements to this effect made by Al-Sharaa when he was leader of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham[14] did not just reflect the position of that organization but "a Syrian consensus that has existed since the days of Sheikh Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam."[15] He added: "Even if silence is the option chosen by the state, it is surely not the option favored by the people."[16] In another article, published on June 3 in the Qatari daily Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, Abu Hilala described the popular resistance as "the strongest card" available to the new regime and called on it to make use of it. He criticized countries that, he said, are trying to drag Syria into a confrontation with Israel or into normalization with it. He wrote: "...Syria does not need anyone to entangle it today in a difficult and destructive confrontation with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu or in a soft [but] destructive [process of] normalization. Rather, it needs its allies to take an honest position so as to stop the aggression against it and [enable it] to achieve its historic rights... The strongest card available to the Syrian state is the position taken by its people. The attack by unarmed Syrian heroes on an Israeli patrol in Quneitra, [who] took down an Israeli flag, trampled it and burned it,[17] reflected courage, wisdom and awareness. The patrol was unable to confront [these] unarmed people… The Syrian state should invest in the card of popular [resistance]…"[18] Cartoon in Qatari daily: The Israeli serpent lies in wait for the "rebels" who have just crushed the Assad regime (Al-Sharq, Qatar, December 11, 2024) Syrians Can Wage Armed Resistance, Like In Iraq And Afghanistan Muwaffaq Zaidan, an Al-Jazeera reporter and a columnist for the Qatari government daily Al-Sharq, noted that Syrian civilians have personal arms they can use against the Israeli forces, and that, unlike the besieged Gaza Strip, Syria can receive arms from the Arab countries and the region. He wrote: "… [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu should know that the Syrian people no longer have anything to lose… Organizing mass protests in Daraa today will threaten the Zionist entity and place it in a new situation, dangerous and serious. Does [Israel] think it can handle popular protests in the area it is occupying… [?] This uprising, combined with the personal arms available to the people, will show the Zionists that excessive force is useless, as we have seen with our own eyes in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. "The Syrian people is exhausted by the latest wars against Assad's gangs… It no longer has anything to lose… If Netanyahu insists on trying its patience, he will get a taste of what the West experienced in Afghanistan and Iraq. Continued Zionist attacks on Syria will spark popular resistance that will be no picnic for Netanyahu. He will see a besieged area -- just like Gaza, which has steadfastly resisted him for 16 months. But Syria, [unlike Gaza], has Arab and regional supply [routes]."[19] Zaidan wrote in a similar vein on his X account: "The [Syrian] people, which has uprooted a regime that was supported by regional and international powers and by cross-border sectarian gangs [i.e., the Shi'ite militias supported by Iran], will teach Netanyahu a lesson, Allah willing. Attacks on Syria will have repercussions. Those who endured and steadfastly [resisted the Assad regime] for 14 years can do so again. Don't try the patience of this people."[20] Muhanna Al-Hubail, a columnist for the Qatari Al-Watan daily and head of the Canadian Centre for Consultancy, advised the Syrian regime to make use of "popular resistance" by "limited forces" that are "covertly affiliated" with the regime. He wrote: "Confronting the aggression of Israel – which boasts about destroying Gaza without compunction or fear of its Arab neighbors, and enjoys the Trump Administration's support for its endless [acts of] destruction… – will have no effect and will not prevent the all-out war that this entity [i.e., Israel] is planning and seeking. However, continued inaction has far-reaching implications as well. Activating limited forces to engage the enemy, such as popular resistance that is covertly affiliated with a vital state institution, can change the picture…"[21] IUMS Members: The Syrian People Will Resist Israel Even With Kitchen Knives Several members of the IUMS likewise incited the Syrians to take violent action against Israel. IUMS member Muhammad Saghir responded on X to an April 3 incident in the Daraa area, in which locals fired at Israeli forces that were engaged in seizing munitions and destroying terror infrastructures, provoking Israeli fire that killed nine. Saghir wrote that Israel is destroying Syria's military capabilities in order to render its new regime unable to defend itself, let alone liberate its land, but stressed: "Even if the people of the new Syria are left with nothing but kitchen knives, the Zionists will not be secure. They are motivated by delusions of power, and [seek to] undermine the security that the Syrians have taken it upon themselves [to ensure for themselves] in this phase of building their homeland. The aggressor [i.e. Israel] will lose if it tries to escalate the conflict with them. The boys who steadfastly resisted the barrel bombs of Bashar [Al-Assad], the jets of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and the battalions of Iran know that the Zionists are much greater cowards and villains than any of the above. #Dara_is_the_graveyard_of_invaders."[22] Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, an IUMS member and a lecturer at Qatar University, shared a composite picture of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and a bleeding Benjamin Netanyahu, captioned "A Single Enemy from Damascus to Jerusalem," and commented: "If Syria remains stable and its [re]building is completed, this will be a catastrophe for the Zionists in the long term. If they do not allow Syria's stability and [re]building, and decide to attack its land and its unity, this will be a catastrophe for them in the short term. The Zionist enemy has no future after the liberation of Syria and after [the Syrian] soldiers reach the outskirts of Jerusalem."[23] The image shared by Al-Shinqiti Articles In Qatari Daily Encourage Armed "Popular Resistance" Against Israel In recent months, the London-based Qatari daily Al-Arabi Al-Jadid published several articles highlighting the option of an armed "popular" uprising of locals in southern Syria against Israel. A March 29, 2025 article titled "Repeated Israeli Attacks in Syria… and Readiness for Popular Resistance" quoted an unnamed source in the Syrian factions in the south who warned of an armed conflict between Syrian locals and Israel. According to this source, "the repeated Israeli attacks in southern Syria, open the door to every option, including the emergence of popular resistance… Any excessive aggression will lead to intense popular resistance regardless of military abilities… When there is need to confront Israel, we will do so with the military resources we have. There are plenty of weapons in Daraa, and we will receive assistance from all the Syrians. I believe that, if Israel enters cities and towns like Tafas, the conflict will begin."[24] On March 27, following an incident in the town of Kawiya in the Daraa area in which an Israeli drone shot at gunmen who had fired on an Israeli force and killed four of the gunmen, the daily published an article titled "Popular Resistance against the Israeli Aggression in Syria – Is It Realistic?", in which Syrian researchers and analysts called on the new regime to allow the people to rise up against Israel using the private arms at their disposal. Military commentator Abdallah Al-As'ad, head of the Rasd Center for Strategic Studies, urged the Syrian government, which is currently engaging in diplomacy with Israel, "to allow the Syrian people to wage resistance against its aggression," and added, "It is inconceivable that the people of Daraa should leave their land to the Israelis when they can wage tremendous resistance in order to hold on to their land. The people have weapons and are eager to wage resistance against the Israeli forces." Syrian Military expert Diyaa Qadour said: "Popular resistance based on local support can constitute an effective and deterring force against any attempts by Israel to expand its [presence] or impose a new reality in the occupied areas… This resistance must be united and well-coordinated with the local and government forces…"[25] Image published with the article titled "Popular Resistance against the Israeli Aggression in Syria – Is It Realistic?") In another article in Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, from April 4, Syrian analysts warned that the Syrian people is ready to confront the Israeli forces. Imad Al-Masalameh, a dignitary from Daraa, told the daily that some Syrians have begun "demanding popular resistance" against these forces to stop "their unacceptable intervention" in Syria. The Syrian people, he added, "is exhausted after 14 years of war against the deposed [Bashar Al-Assad] regime, but we are able and willing to wage resistance against the Israeli forces that have arrived in [the city of] Nawa. All the young men of the region are on the alert." Abd Al-Jaber Al-Akidi, an officer who defected from Assad's army and headed a military council of the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, told the daily that "resistance is the Syrian's choice if this Israeli recklessness continues… The Syrian state is being established and is unable to confront [Israel], due to the power balance, which is in favor of the Western-backed Zionist entity. Therefore, there is no choice except to launch popular resistance against the Israeli invasion." Military researcher Rashid Horani did not rule out the possibility that the new regime would "help the locals in the area west of Daraa to wage popular resistance against the occupation forces…"[26] On April 25, the daily published the third installment in a series of articles about the new Syria. Titled "The New Syria – The Confrontation with Israel that Has Been Postponed," this installment speculated that Israel means to occupy more areas in Syria and annex them. The writer, Shahira Saloum, therefore wondered, "What is left for the Syrian people and leadership to do? They have two options: confrontation or confrontation. Since the new regime is currently unable and unwilling to do this, confrontation, in the form of popular resistance, is the [only] choice."[27] *N. Mozes is a research fellow at MEMRI.
Memri
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Syrian Journalists And Activists Celebrate Israel's Attack On Iran: This Is One Of Our Most Joyous Days
The war between Israel and Iran has generated widespread media and political discourse throughout the Middle East, including in Syria, where many are celebrating the Israeli strikes in Iran and the elimination of numerous senior members of Iran's security establishment. Many Syrians regard this as historical justice in light of Iran's consistent support for the Bashar Al-Assad regime throughout the Syrian civil war, up until his downfall on December 8, 2024. During the war, Iran and its affiliated Shi'ite militias, chief of them Hizbullah, established military bases across Syria and took part in the fighting against Assad's opponents, killing many of them and driving others into exile.[1] Syrians on social media welcomed the 'humiliation' of Iran and the elimination of its officials, presenting this as punishment for its crimes against Syria and other Arab countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, and as proof that the Iranian era in the region is over. However, the glee at Iran's misfortune was not accompanied by praise for Israel, which Syrians regard as an enemy as well, especially in light of its current military presence in the south of the country and its repeated attacks on Syrian soil over the years. Some of the writers therefore wished both side success in pummeling each other. Conversely, the new Syrian regime, headed by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and the Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) organization, has so far refrained from taking a stance on the Israel-Iran war, in contrast to many Arab countries that condemned Israel and sided with Iran.[2] Israeli airstrikes in Tehran ( June 14, 2025) This report presents a sampling of responses by Syrians welcoming the attacks on Iran. Syrian Journalist Eiad Charbaji: Look And Revel In The Elimination Of The Leaders Of Evil In Tehran Syrian journalist Eiad Charbaji called on Syrians to rejoice in what was happening in Iran, writing: "Oh Syrians, look at and revel in the elimination of the leaders of evil in Tehran... We wish the Iranian people health and that this should be an opportunity for it to bring down these Satans who burned us [all] together."[3] Eiad Charbaji's post on Facebook (Source: June 13, 2025) Syrian Journalist Ahmad Kamal: The Day Iran's Nuclear Project Is Destroyed Will Be One Of The Most Beautiful Days In History Syrian journalist Ahmad Kamal rejoiced at the Israeli strikes on Iran, writing on X: "Today, June 13, 2025, the day of the destruction of Iran's nuclear program, is one of the most joyous days for the Arabs, because today they are freed from the lethal danger that [Iran] was preparing for them. Today the fangs of the Iranian regime have been extracted, and perhaps even its head will be torn off. Today is one of the three most beautiful days in our modern history: the day of the fall of the ethnic Qardahaite[4] [i.e. Assad] regime in Syria; the day of the assassination of the Shi'ite Lebanese Hizbullah commanders; and today."[5] In another post, Kamal lashed out at those defending Iran because of its aid to the Palestinians, stating that this does not excuse it for its many crimes against other Arabs. He wrote: "Oh asses, as a Muslim country, Iran is not forgiven for its crimes against the Muslims in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. On the contrary, oh asses, it makes it even more grave, and base, and more reprehensible. Indeed, when it is your brother who attacks you, it is a thousand times worse than an attack by some foreign element... There is no justification for what Iran has done and is still doing in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, and it cannot be forgotten... no matter what it does in [support of] Palestine. This is because if a criminal rapes four of your sisters, his crimes will not be forgiven [even] if he helps your fifth sister [fend off] another criminal and rapist..."[6] Syrian Journalist Adnan Abd Al-Razak: The Blood Curse Has Reached The Murderers – Even If It Came Late Syrian journalist Adnan Abd Al-Razak, of the Qatari Al-Arabi Al-Jadid daily, wrote on his Facebook page: "[This] is Allah's justice on earth. A year ago, at most, the Syrians had almost lost hope in everything, [including in] all of humanity. At that time, the Persians' plan was almost a reality in the region; the burnishing of the Assad regime's image had increased, and the Syrians' dream of freedom and statehood had almost evaporated. Most Syrians had no option left but to feel frustration, appeal to God for help or [pursue] their individual plans. Then came the liberation of Syria and the overthrow of the criminal regime following the assassination of its supporter in Lebanon [i.e. Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah] and the humiliation of its ally in Tehran, in an event that was more like a miracle... "Today, justice and the natural course of history are continuing, and Iran is humiliated and paying a price for some of what it has done in the region – killing, expulsion, humiliation, distortion of the present and of history, and doing damage to the future… I am not saying that I am happy, or gloating, but I am saying that the Persians are the lowest and most dangerous thing for the region, for the Arabs, for Islam, and for humanity..."[7] Syrian Political Activist: Iran, That Spread Chaos And Violence, Has Reached Its End Ahmad Ramadan wrote on X that the Iranian era had come to an end and that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be eliminated: "Iran, that threatens its neighbors, has come to an end! I have in the past called it a dismantled state and said that its regime is fragile. Its military and security situation reveal it to be a paper tiger, and the coming attacks will strike at political leaders, including Khamenei. Iran, which sowed chaos and violence, deployed militias, and destroyed and participated in the killing of over three million Arabs, has come to an end forever... "A new regime is coming to Iran and Iraq, and there will be a change in Yemen and Lebanon (the end of the Houthis and Hizbullah). The Iranian era is over, a different Middle East has begun [to form], and we must all get ready."[8] Other Syrian Activists Wish Success To Both Iran And Israel Alongside the condemnation of Iran, several Syrians expressed the wish that Iran and Israel would damage each other. For example, Syrian journalist Nour Abu Hassan wrote on X: "We hope that neither side will act with restraint. Thank you."[9] Abu Ali Mahamid from southern Syria wrote sarcastically, "We wish victory to both sides."[10] Syrian Journalist In Saudi Daily: This Is The End of The Iranian Era In The Region, And Of The Obama Doctrine Similar claims to those posted by Syrians on social media appear in the article by Syrian journalist Aliya Mansour in her column in the Saudi daily Al-Majallah: "After the recent Israeli operation in Iran, we can declare the end of the Iranian era in the region, the end of the era of this country's domination of [other] countries and peoples. We can also declare the end of the disastrous 'Obama doctrine' in the region, [conceived by] a man who wanted Tehran to have the influence and authority in this region, in disregard of the region's identity, [which has a Sunni majority] of the interests of countries that have – or lack – [various] alliances, and of the will of the peoples… "The first slap sustained by the 'Iranian Empire' project was the elimination of [Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force commander] Qassem Soleimani. [Then] came [more] slaps and blows, one after the other, from the pager operation [by Israel against Hizbullah] to the elimination of Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and the effective removal of [his] party [Hizbullah] from the circle of regional influence, to the elimination of Hamas political bureau head Isma'il Haniya while he was staying in Tehran and the fall of the Bashar Al-Assad regime [in Syria], which cut off [Iran's] supply line [via Syria]. "After all of this, Iran was given a chance. It was invited to negotiate about its nuclear project, but it did not conduct itself properly, did not understand the magnitude of the hour and did not realize that its project was over and that its death would be pronounced [either] at the negotiating table or on the battlefield. Today, whether the war will be brief or prolonged, its outcomes are known [in advance]: Tehran will drink the cup of poison and Iran will be restored to the Iranian [people], which will ensure that this loathsome regime will meet its end and the Iranian people will [be given] their chance to speak."[11]
Memri
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Rage In Syria: The Constitutional Declaration Approved By The President Is Yet Another Step On The Path To A New Dictatorial Rule
Introduction On March 13, 2025, Syria's new president and Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad Al-Joulani, signed the Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic. The document serves as the country's constitution for the transitional phase of the government, which will continue for at least the next five years. The Constitutional Declaration was approved relatively quickly, about two weeks after the National Dialogue Conference was held, where hundreds of representatives from the various ethnic and other groups in Syria had come together to lay the groundwork for the transitional phase. However, prominent Syrian political forces were actually excluded from the conference. A look at the Constitutional Declaration shows that it is another step by HTS in establishing its dictatorial regime in the country, since it concentrates many powers as well as control of the three branches of government in the hands of the president – he will be responsible for appointing members of parliament, members of the government, judges in the High Constitutional Court, and members of the Syrian National Security council. Absent from the declaration are oversight apparatuses and checks and accountability requirements for the president, and it does not state that the people are the source of the government's rule. The president's approval of the declaration enraged many elements in Syria, particularly among the Kurds, who have an autonomous region in the country's northeast, and among the Druze in Suwayda province, who see it as a "dictatorial declaration" incompatible with the people's wishes and warned that they would not abide by it. Protests against the declaration were also held in both areas. Similar criticism appeared in articles published by many Syrian writers, both inside and outside the country, stating that the Constitutional Declaration disregarded the fact that the revolution had aimed for democracy and to restore the rule to the people, and that it was the beginning of the establishment of a new dictatorship that would take over from the previous dictatorship. Syrian President Al-Sharaa signs the Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic (Source: March 13, 2025) This report will present the main points of the Constitutional Declaration and the criticism it has sparked in Syria. The President Holds Many Powers And Controls The Executive, Legislative, And Judiciary Authorities The Constitutional Declaration's 53 clauses, drawn up by a committee of seven appointed by Al-Sharaa himself, place many powers in the hands of Syria's president and give him control of all three authorities. Thus, in the legislative authority, Al-Sharaa will be in charge of appointing all members of the Syrian parliament – one third of them directly, and the others by a supreme committee that he forms. He will also be given the right to propose bills. In the executive authority, Al-Sharaa will be the one to nominate and remove government ministers. Likewise, the declaration does not mention a prime minister; that role appears to have been eradicated. The drafting committee explained at the signing that the president is to be appointed by the executive authority, and that the president's limitation of the powers of the executive authority is aimed at allowing him to act quickly and to deal with any difficulty that might arise during the transitional phase in Syria. [1] With regard to the judiciary authority, the president will appoint the judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court that rules on the constitutionality of laws and is in charge of establishing a body to deal with transitional justice, [2] establishing a supreme electoral authority, and other bodies. Furthermore, the Constitutional Declaration states that the president is also commander-in-chief of the Syrian army and has the authority to declare a state of emergency for a period of up to three months with the agreement of the Syrian National Security Council, which the president heads and whose members he appoints. [3] In addition to all of the above, conspicuous in their absence from the declaration are apparatuses for accountability for the president if he oversteps or misuses his authority. Other parts of the Constitutional Declaration cast a dark shadow on the prospect of democracy for Syria. Syrian jurists have said that even if there are some positive clauses in it, others damage it. For example, despite the clause stating that citizens have equal rights and obligations before the law regardless of race, religion, sex, or origin, and provides for equality of opportunity at work, it also states that the Syrian president must be Muslim. Likewise, it appears that the clauses about protection of human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and others can be restricted by the president using another clause in the declaration that permits him to declare a state of emergency with the agreement of officials who were selected by him. [4] Pages from the Constitutional Declaration (Source: March 13, 2025) The Constitutional Declaration Is Another Step In The New Syrian Regime's Establishment Of Anti-Democratic Measures It should be noted that the Constitutional Declaration is an addition to previous measures taken by the HTS-led Syrian regime that has sparked apprehension in the country that the dictatorial Assad regime has been replaced by another, similar regime. Thus, on January 29, 2025, the Syrian government held a "Victory Conference" at which unilateral decisions were made about the transitional phase in the country, including the appointment of Al-Sharaa as president and his consent to assemble an interim legislative council for the transitional phase. The conference did not, however, include representatives of Syrian political and civil organizations, and during it a decision was made to disband them. [5] The conference was held as a military event to which pro-Al-Sharaa military factions were invited, with the exclusion of Kurdish military representatives from the northeast and Druze representatives from Al-Suwayda province. [6] Additionally, the National Dialogue Conference was held on February 25, 2025; it was presented as a meeting of hundreds of representatives of Syria's ethnic and other groups that aimed to lay the foundation for the transitional phase in the country. But in actuality, representatives of prominent forces were excluded from the conference, first and foremost from the Kurdish autonomous region, and the conference participants were determined by HTS-affiliated elements – reinforcing the impression that the organization was in control of the proceedings. [7] Likewise, even before the conference, Al-Sharaa had made it clear that its outcomes would be considered suggestions, that is, non-binding for the regime. [8] Indeed, the conference's concluding statement consisted of a series of general aims with no details of how they would be implemented – for example, strengthening freedom as a supreme value in society, establishing the principle of cooperative life among all Syrians, establishing a legislative council as soon as possible, and the like. [9] Thus, the conference was perceived as no more than a marketing tactic aimed at obtaining popular and international legitimacy for HTS's control of Syria during the transitional phase. [10] The line in the Constitutional Declaration stating that it was based on the Victory Conference and on the National Dialogue Conference only reinforced the accusations that the declaration does not truly represent the Syrian people and was aimed at establishing the new regime. Rage In Syria Over The Constitutional Declaration: It Does Not Represent All Of Syrian Society The Constitutional Declaration sparked a great deal of criticism among many Syrians, particularly from rivals of the HTS government: the Kurds, who continue to maintain their autonomous region in the northeast which has not been under Syrian government control since the Assad regime, and the Druze in the southern province of Suwayda, where HTS is not fully in control. On the day of its publication, March 13, the administration of the autonomous region said in a statement that the declaration does not reflect the diversity of the country, does not promote partnership among all elements of Syrian society, and expresses "a mentality of an individual [regime] that is a direct continuation of the previous situation in Syria [i.e. the Assad regime] against which the people rebelled." It added that the declaration "does not reflect the aspirations of the people" and that it "thwarts efforts to achieve true democracy in Syria..." [11] For its part, the Syrian Democratic Council, the political arm of the Syrian Democratic Forces that serve as the military organization of the Kurdish autonomous zone, announced its absolute opposition to the declaration, calling it "an attempt to recreate dictatorship in the guise of the transitional phase." [12] Likewise, in Suwayda province, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri expressed opposition to the declaration "that includes a dictatorial declaration." He added, "We will not implement a single clause of any constitution or [constitutional] declaration that is incompatible with the will and rights of the people." [13] Another Druze spiritual leader in Suwayda, Sheikh Yousef Jerboa, said that the declaration "gives more powers to the president and the presidential or national council [apparently a reference to the National Security Council] established by and based on six or seven officials headed by President Al-Sharaa, and this limits decision[making] to a single uniform group." He also expressed his hope that the Constitutional Declaration would be changed. [14] In both regions, protests were held against the declaration. Left: Protests in Hasaka, northeast Syria: "The people want a change to the constitution" (Source: March 16, 2025); right: Protest in Suwayda: "Al-Joulani and Assad – two sides of the same coin" (Source: March 23, 2025) Attempts by members of the Constitutional Declaration drafting committee to justify its clauses were not particularly persuasive. Committee head Abd Al-Hamid Al-Awak said that a presidential regime was decided upon for the transitional period, and in such a regime the president has broad powers, but there was no expansion of these exceptional powers. [15] But these statements did not explain why no element in the Syrian government had the power to demand presidential accountability. Committee member Ahmad Karibi's statement that "it is the people who judge the president and the parliament" [16] has no grounding in the Constitutional Declaration, in which the role of the people is not mentioned. Syrian Writers: The Constitutional Declaration Establishes A New Dictatorship In Syria; The President Has Too Many Powers Criticism of the Constitutional Declaration was also expressed in articles by numerous Syrian writers who claimed that the declaration concentrates too many powers in the hands of the president, it excludes the people and the different political forces from participation in determining the destiny of the country, and constitutes the beginning of the establishment of a new dictatorship. Syrian Journalist: The Constitutional Declaration Excludes The People And Ignores Its Aspiration To Democracy In his March 16, 2025 article, Syrian journalist Ammar Dayoub maintained that the Constitutional Declaration concentrates great power in the hands of President Al-Sharaa and does not include the role of the Syrian people in determining the destiny of the country. Therefore, he foresees that the Syrian government will take control of all government authorities and that a new dictatorship is about to arise in Syria. He wrote: "Syria's interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa has approved a Constitutional Declaration that does not include the word 'temporary' and was signed into force. Its preamble cites the [concluding] statement of [the] Victory [Conference] and the closing statement of the National Dialogue Conference, and speaks of reliance on previous constitutions, but fails to mention the popular revolution's goal of transitioning to democracy... The discourse on freedom and dignity has become tailored to the will of the new administration and the temporary [constitutional] declaration serves the interests of this administration and its president... "Many clauses in the [constitutional] declaration concentrate power in the hands of Ahmad Al-Sharaa: He is authorized to appoint one-third of the legislative council and to form the election committee that elects the rest of its members, and he is also authorized to appoint [government] ministers. The text makes no mention of the prime minister, and there are speculations that [Al-Sharaa] himself will head the government. He is [also] the one who appoints judges to the constitutional court. [Also] absent from the declaration's clauses is the word 'elections,' and any mention of the people's role in the referendum on the draft constitution at the end of the interim period. The length of this period – five years – is further proof of the danger [inherent in] the interim president's control over the state and all its institutions. They could have sufficed with two years, or three at most... "No clause in the declaration mentions the sovereignty of the people, in contrast to [Syria's] 1950 constitution, which stated that 'sovereignty is anchored in the rule of the people, by the people and for the people.' The popular revolution was meant to restore the people's role in determining the fate of the country, but after this role was absent from the Victory Conference and the National Dialogue, it is also absent from the [constitutional] declaration and from the temporary people's council that is to be established. The Syrian people now fear that figures it trusts, and prominent national figures, will be absent from the interim government that, according to President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's plan for the interim stage, is to be established... "The measures taken by the interim administration; the length of [the interim period], which has been set at five years; the fact that the people and [various] political forces have been excluded or suspended from political participation... [all] indicate that the new administration means to monopolize all the branches [of government] and deprive them of any independence. Therefore, this [constitutional] declaration is the first step in establishing a new dictatorship in the guise of a victory over the previous dictatorship..." [17] Syrian Lawyer: We Are Creating A Pharaoh – Not A President Of Syria Similarly, Syrian lawyer Ghazwan Koronsul wrote that the Constitutional Declaration is nothing more than a vehicle by which to subordinate Syria to an autocracy led by the president, and that this explains the absence of mechanisms to demand accountability in it. He wrote: "I will not deny that I had some slight hope that the Constitutional Declaration would actually reflect the hoped-for national consensus, so that we Syrians would all manage to unite the fragmented homeland and divided people, each sector of which feels superior to the other factions... [But] in practice, this slight hope I harbored has certainly faded away. This is because I am among those who believe that constitutions, temporary or permanent, are like mirrors in which every citizen must be able to see his reflection and his rights, and this sadly failed to happen with the [new] Constitutional Declaration... "Although there are some positive clauses in it, they do not make it a declaration that lays the foundations for a national partnership... but are only [a way to] subordinate the constitution to an autocracy, to the monopoly [of the ruling party] and to the principle that whoever liberated [Syria has the right] to decide. This is a negative message to the rest of the Syrians, which shatters the mirror in which all Syrians must be able to see themselves. "More to the point, it can be said that this constitutional declaration significantly concentrates power in the president's hands without setting up mechanisms for holding him to account or demanding accountability from him if he oversteps or abuses his power. It is important to understand that 'absolute power corrupts absolutely,' especially when accompanied by the absence of means and mechanisms for supervision and accountability. After all, the ruler or president is not God's shadow, endowed with authority by God. The people are the source of authority that grants [power] or revokes it, appoints [figures] or removes [them]. The strange thing is that this specific statement – that 'the people is the source of authority' – is absent from the text of the Constitutional Declaration... "The president, who appoints the parliament members either directly or in a manipulative indirect manner, denies the parliament the right to approve or reject the government makeup or [the appointment of] specific ministers. It also excludes the parliament and the Supreme Judicial Council from the appointment of the constitutional court judges, and claims exclusive authority to do so... It's as though we have created a Pharoah, not a president... "Let me conclude by saying that [even] if it will not be possible to amend the declaration – and I do not believe it is impossible – we will be able to solve [the problems] when we begin to draft the country's permanent constitution. Then we can make sure not to tailor the constitution to the ruler, any ruler, but to the Syrian people, of every stripe and persuasion, without discrimination and injustice, with full equality in citizenship and in rights." [18] * O. Peri is a Research Fellow at MEMRI. [1] March 13, 2025. [2] The term transitional justice encompasses the totality of legal and social measures that can be taken by states in political transition to redress crimes and injustice carried out by the previous regime or during a past conflict . [3] March 13, 2025. [4] Al-Quds Al-Araby (London), March 13, 2025. [5] January 29, 2025. [6] February 3, 2025. [7] February 25, 2025. [8] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), February 10, 2025. [9] February 25, 2025. [10] Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed (London), February 28, 2025. [11] March 13, 2025. [12] March 14, 2025. [13] March 18, 2025. [14] March 24, 2025. [15] March 13, 2025; March 15, 2025. [16] March 14, 2025. [17] Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed (London), March 16, 2025. [18] March 17, 2025.
Memri
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekly: March 15-22, 2025
The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@ with "Membership" in the subject line.) Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to media@ Please include your name, title, and organization in your email. EXCLUSIVE: Syria-Based Jihadi Cleric, Pro-Al-Qaeda Ideologues, Islamic State (ISIS) Supporters Condemn New Syrian Constitutional Declaration As Violation Of Shari'a, 'New Religion' On March 13, 2025, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa – who had previously headed jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) under the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani – signed a constitutional declaration, valid for a five-year transitional period, after receiving it from a seven-member committee which he had tasked with drafting it on March 2. EXCLUSIVE: Gaza-Based Hamas Supporter Calls President Trump 'Stupid and Ignorant' Over The Detention Of Palestinian Columbia University Graduate And Student Protest Leader Mahmoud Khalil An influential Hamas supporter based in Gaza lambasted US President Trump on Telegram for his handling of the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder and graduate of Columbia University who headed the University's student protest movement over the war in Gaza. EXCLUSIVE: 'Shield Of The Coast Brigade' Threatens To Harm Captured Security Operatives, Escalate Battle Against Syrian Administration; Claims Prisoners Are With Its Leader Outside Syrian Coast On March 6, 2025, a wave of violence erupted in the coastal regions of Syria, the main center of the country's Alawite minority, which counts among its members former Presidents Hafez and Bashar Al-Assad, between forces of the new Syrian administration – linked to disbanded jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) – and armed groups, with reports of atrocities on both sides. EXCLUSIVE: Two New Iraqi Shi'ite Groups Threaten To Burn Down The Syrian Embassy In Baghdad, Expel Syrians Residing In Iraq Two unknown Iraqi Shi'ite groups published brief statements on Telegram threatening to expel Syrian refugees who are residing in Iraq. Received By Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Delegation From Qatar-Based Muslim Brotherhood-Affiliated International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) Pledges To Support Projects In Syria On March 12, 2025, the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic released a photoset showing President Ahmed Al-Sharaa – who had previously headed jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) under the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani – receiving a delegation from the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, in Damascus. Syrian Foreign Ministry Issues Statement Condemning 'Attacks On Syrians In Iraq' Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling on the Iraqi Government to protect Syrian residents in the country from harm. Popular Front For The Liberation Of Palestine (PFLP) Issues Statement Condemning What It Calls A 'Repressive Campaign Against Pro-Palestinian Students And Activists On American Universities;' Calls On 'Progressive Forces, Human Rights Organizations And Student Unions In The United States To Take Urgent Action' The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) released a statement calling on progressive groups in the United States to "take urgent action" against what it called a "repressive campaign against pro-Palestinian students and activists on American universities." Designated Terrorist Groups Samidoun And Masar Badil Organization Condemn American Strikes Against Houthis, Call On Anti-Israel Protesters Everywhere To Escalate Activities Against 'Fascist Powers' On March 16, 2025, Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – a designated terrorist organization, issued a statement in English, condemning the recent U.S. strikes that targeted multiple leaders of Iran-backed Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (the Houthis). Houthi Ansar Allah Movement: We Carried Out 'Hypersonic' Missile Attack On Military Base In Israel And A Fourth Missile-Drone Attack Within 72 Hours On USS Harry S Truman; Houthi Leader: 'We Will Renew The Escalation To The Highest Level' On March 18 and 19, 2025, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis) claimed responsibility for the launch of a "hypersonic ballistic missile" at a military base in southern Israel, and for a fourth missile-drone attack on the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier within 72 hours. Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Claims Missile-Drone Attack On U.S. Destroyer, USS Harry S. Truman Aircraft Carrier, In Third Targeting Of Latter In 48 Hours On March 18, 2025, the armed forces spokesman of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis), claimed the group's forces had "successfully targeted" the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the northern Red Sea with two cruise missiles and two drones, marking the third Houthi attack on it within 48 hours. Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Claims Two Drone And Missile Attacks On USS 'Harry Truman;' Houthi Leader: If U.S. Attacks Continue We'll Move To 'Other Options For Escalation' On March 16 and 17, 2025, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis) claimed responsibility for two drone and missile attacks on the American aircraft carrier the USS Harry S. Truman. Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) Escalate Confrontation With Israel, Renew Naval Blockade, Condemn Arab 'Inaction' Yemen's Iran-backed Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) tightens its blockade on Israeli maritime routes, threatening military action if Gaza's siege continues. Houthi Ansar Allah Movement: The U.S. Attacks In Yemen Are A "War Crime" And "American Terror"; The Response Will Be "Professional And Painful" On March 15, 2025, four days after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis) announced the renewal of their naval blockade on Israel, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces had launched a widescale operation against the Houthis in Yemen. Syrian Administration Accuses Lebanese Hizbullah Of Killing Three Soldiers At Syria-Lebanon Border As Hizbullah Disavows Responsibility; Iraqi Shi'ite Group Claims Attack, While Other Sources Claim Local Tribes Killed Dozens Of Soldiers Clashes recently broke out at the Syria-Lebanon border killing several soldiers from the new Syrian administration, linked to disbanded jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). Lebanese Hizbullah-Affiliated Media Outlet Reports Social Media Ban Amid War With Israel On March 12, 2025, a Lebanese Hizbullah-affiliated news website announced on its official Telegram channel that its social media accounts on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook had been banned and shut down during and after Hizbullah's 'Uli Al-Ba's [Formidable in Might] war, which was launched in support of Hamas's Toofan Al-Aqsa [Al-Aqsa Flood] October 7, 2023 attack, and ongoing military campaign against Israel. Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades Condemns Mistreatment Of Syrians In Iraq; Denounces Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa; Rejects Legitimacy Of His Government And Justifies Armed 'Resistance' Against It On March 13, 2025, on its Telegram channel, the Iran-backed Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades militia posted an official statement, titled: "The Emergency Circumstances of Al-Joulani's Gangs Cannot Erase the Brotherhood Ties Between Iraq and Syria." Iran-Backed Groups Lebanese Hizbullah And Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades Decry Israel's Resumption Of Military Action Against Hamas, Condemn Washington's 'Total' Support Of Israel On March 18, 2025, Iran-backed groups Lebanese Hizbullah and Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades released statements condemning the resumption of Israeli military action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while accusing Washington of fully empowering Israel to "massacre" Palestinians. Two Iran-Backed Militias Pledge Support For Yemen's Houthi Movement Amid Escalation With The United States: 'We Are At The Disposal Of The Houthi Leader To Target The American Enemy In Iraq And The Region' Two recently-formed Iran-backed militias pledged to support Yemen's Ansar Allah Houthi Movement amid escalation with the United States and Israel by targeting American forces in Iraq and elsewhere. New Iraqi Shi'ite Group 'Closely Connected To Iran' Threatens Attacks On U.S. Embassy, Other U.S. Targets In Iraq, If Attacked By Israel On March 17, 2025, following media reports about Israel's intention to attack targets in Iraq, a Telegram channel affiliated with the Iran-backed militias in Iraq, shared a statement from the previously unknown Shi'ite Iraqi group in which it related to recent alleged threats from Israel. New Iraqi Shi'ite Group Threatens To Drive Syrians Out Of Iraq; Members Filmed Beating Bakery Workers In Group's 'First Operation' In early March 2025, in Syria's coastal areas, a stronghold of Syria's former President Bashar Al-Assad and Shi'ite Alawite minority, a wave of violence erupted. Russian Ambassador To Iraq And Secretary General Of Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) Discuss Recent Events In Syria, Economic Cooperation, Russia-Ukraine War On March 12, 2025, the press office of the Secretary General of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) and a U.S.-designated terrorist, published a press release on Telegram about a same-day meeting between the Secretary General and the Russian Ambassador to Iraq. WARNING – GRAPHIC: Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Documents Execution Of Three Nigerian Soldiers On March 17, 2025, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) released three photos documenting the execution of three Nigerian soldiers, captured by the group's operatives in Azare and Kamuya, in Nigeria's Yobe state. WARNING – GRAPHIC: Islamic State (ISIS) Weekly Newsletter Releases Exclusive Photos Documenting Operations In Niger, DRC, And Syria On March 13, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 486 of its weekly newsletter. Islamic State (ISIS) Weekly Editorial Claims The 'Illusions' Of Coexistence In Syria 'Failed At First Test'; Deems President Al-Sharaa A 'Puppet' Until Partition Plan In Region Is Finalized On March 13, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) released Issue 486 of its weekly newsletter which featured an editorial titled: "Minoritarianism and Sectarianism Blown Up." Islamic State (ISIS) Supporters Cast Doubt On Reports That Senior Leader Abu Khadijah Killed, Call Deaths Of Leaders 'Victory'; ISIS Critic Asserts Organization Faces Major Leadership Crisis, May Transfer Decision-Making Out Of Iraq And Syria On March 14 , 2025, the Iraqi Prime Minister announced that forces of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS), with the "support and coordination" of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve and forces of the Global Coalition against ISIS – had killed 'Abdallah Makki Muslih Al-Rafi'i aka Abu Khadijah. In Video, Syrian Interior Ministry Unveils Islamic State (ISIS) Cell Involved In The Assassination Of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Official Abu Maria Al-Qahtani, Failed Bombings Against Christians, Foiled Attack On Sayyidah Zainab Shrine On March 18, 2025, the Syrian Interior Ministry released a nine-minute video titled, "In Security Custody: The Inevitable Fate." Islamic State (ISIS) Critic: The Killing Of High-profile ISIS Leader In Iraq Is The Result Of Major Security Breach Inside His Inner Circle On March 17, 2025, an anti-Islamic State (ISIS) channel on the Al-Qaeda-operated server, published a post commenting on the circumstance that led to the killing of Abdallah Makki Muslih Al-Rifai, alias 'Abu Khadijah,' a senior ISIS leader in Iraq. ISKP Magazine Lists Battles In Which Muhammad Fought During Ramadan: Jerusalem 'Is Once Again In The Control Of Jews' The latest issue of the Urdu-language magazine published by a media outlet linked to ISKP, which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), features an article listing major battles in which Muhammad, founder of Islam, and the Muslim commanders who came after him, fought during the fasting month of Ramadan. ISKP Magazine Criticizes Afghan Taliban For Seeking UN Membership: 'The Foundation Of This Tyrannical Organization Was Established To Fight Against Islam And Prevent Muslims From Establishing An Islamic State' A lengthy article in an English-language monthly magazine published by a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), criticizes Afghan Taliban rulers for seeking membership of the United Nations and goes on to argue that the principles and values enshrined in the UN Charter contradict shari'a. ISKP Magazine Responds To Trump's Statements On Bagram Base, U.S. Weapons Left In Afghanistan: 'No [U.S.] Aid Has Been Stopped, No Weapons Will Be Seized, And Trump Will Not Take Any Action Against The [Afghan Taliban] Militia' The latest issue of the English-language monthly magazine published by a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), features an article accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of continuing to fund the Afghan Taliban. Poster In English By Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlets: Jihad Is Mandatory On March 16, 2025, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media foundation, in collaboration with English-language media, released a poster titled "Jihad Is the Path of Dignity." Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Outlet Calls For Jihad In Uttar Pradesh, India; Poster Depicts Armed Fighter Standing Over Crowd Of Hindus Celebrating Holi A pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet called for jihad in India after a Muslim man was reportedly killed in Uttar Pradesh for refusing to take part in a Hindu festival. Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Outlet Releases Step-By-Step Manual To Equip Drones With Video System Using Custom-Made 3D-Printed Mount On March 11, 2025, a channel on the ISIS-operated server released the fifth issue of the series of manuals, "Modern Warfare." Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Poster Urges Supporters To Target U.S. President, Western Leaders On March 13, 2025, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) organization, published a poster on the ISIS-operated Rocket Chat server inciting attacks against "nonbeliever," non-Muslim leaders of the West. Pro-ISIS Female Writer Dubbs Jews 'Brothers Of Monkeys' And America As A 'Traitor of Jesus,' Accusing Them Of Duplicity For Ending Ceasefire In Gaza A pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet published an article on Telegram authored by pro-ISIS female writer. Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlet Solicits Cryptocurrency Donations With Poster Featuring Arabic, Turkish, English, And Russian-Language Text A pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet released a poster soliciting online donations in cryptocurrency during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims Killing, Wounding Over 150 Soldiers, Capturing New Areas In Series Of Attacks In Southern Somalia On March 15, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), released an Arabic translation of a Somali statement from Al-Shabab's military command reporting on same-day Al-Shabab attacks against Somali armed forces in the country's south. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims 'Qualitative Operation' Targeting Somali President Mohamud's Motorcade At Gate Of Presidential Palace In Mogadishu On March 18, 2025, an official Arabic-language media outlet of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), issued a claim reporting that the group's fighters had targeted the motorcade of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, pejoratively nicknamed Gurguurte ("Crawler"), in a "qualitative operation" at the gate of the presidential palace in Mogadishu, as he was heading to the international airport. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab Issues Statement Commending Fighters For Recent Series Of Attacks On Somali Forces And Turkey-Backed Militias On March 19, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), issued a statement highlighting attacks claimed by the group over the past two days in Central Shebelle and Mogadishu. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabab: We Repelled Integrated Attack By Somali Forces With U.S. Air Support On March 12, 2025, the media arm of the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), announced that seven members of an integrated force comprised of the Somali Special Forces who are trained by the U.S., and the Somali Armed Forces, were killed, and another six were wounded when Al-Shabab fighters repelled an attack. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Group For The Support Of Islam And Muslims (GSIM) Claims Dozens Of Attacks Since March 1 In Burkina Faso, Mali, And Niger; Documents Operations In Photos Between March 4 and 12, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM), released a flurry of statements claiming responsibility for several armed attacks against the Malian, Burkinabe, and Nigerien armed forces. WARNING – GRAPHIC: Group For The Support Of Islam And Muslims (GSIM) Kills Dozens Of Burkinabe Soldiers In Seven Attacks Targeting Military Sites Across Country From March 14 to 15, 2025, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Sahel, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), claimed responsibility for killing dozens of Burkinabe soldiers in seven attacks across the country. Al-Qaeda Affiliate Group For The Support Of Islam And Muslims (GSIM) Releases Photos Documenting Its Fighters Observing Ramadan On March 13, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM), released a photoset documenting the group's fighters observing the fasting month of Ramadan. In Photos, Al-Qaeda Affiliate, The Group For The Support Of Islam And Muslims (GSIM), Documents Ramadan In Burkina Faso On March 14, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM), released a set of six photos showcasing the group's operatives in Burkina Faso camps engaging in activities related to the holy month of Ramadan. Al-Qaeda In The Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) Releases Video Biography Of Slain Commander From Dhaka, Bangladesh Who Fought In Afghanistan Against U.S. Forces Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) released a video biography of a commander from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Al-Qaeda In Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Condemns Attacks By U.S., Israel, And Houthis On 'Peaceful Muslims In Yemen,' Calls On Muslims To Unite Against All Three On March 19, 2025, the official media arm of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), issued a four-page statement in Arabic titled "A Statement Regarding The Killing Of Women And Children In Yemen In U.S. Airstrikes." Afghan Taliban Editorial Criticizes Donald Trump's Gaza Plan: 'Every Individual [In Afghanistan] Longs For The Opportunity... To Show The Zionist Invaders Their Path And Fate' In a Pashtu-language editorial, Afghan Taliban's state-owned daily editorial criticized Muslim countries for their indifference to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for Palestinians to be moved from Gaza into neighboring countries of Jordan and Egypt. Afghan Taliban Spokesman Rejects Trump's Claim Of Chinese Control Of Bagram Airbase, Says Weapons Left By U.S. Forces Are Spoils Of War In recent interviews, Afghan Taliban spokesman rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Bagram airbase in Afghanistan is under China's control and the American weapons left by the U.S. forces should be returned. Pro-Afghan Taliban Media Outlet: 'Muhammad Sharif[Ullah] Was Not The Mastermind'; 'Both The Trump Administration And Pakistan Have Strategic Motives For Inflating Muhammad Sharif's Alleged Involvement In The Kabul Airport Attack' On March 5, 2025, a pro-Afghan Taliban website published a report saying that both the Trump administration and Pakistan are exaggerating the importance of Muhammad Sharifullah aka Jafar, the Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP, or ISIS-K) militant arrested for the 2021 Kabul airport attack. Hizb-ut-Tahrir Afghanistan: 'For Three Years Now, The West Has Been Trying To Assimilate The Taliban Into This [International] Order And Prevent The Transfer Of Political Islam From The East To The West' In a Pashtu-language article dated February 23, 2025, Hizb ut-Tahrir Afghanistan praised the Afghan Taliban's decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and called for a complete break from the Western-led international order. Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh Organizes 'March For Khilafat' Rally, Calls On Bangladeshi Army Officers To Revolt: 'You Are The Sons Of The Muslim Ummah Who Have The Military Power In Their Hands' On March 7, 2025, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh, which seeks to cause an uprising in the armed forces of Muslim countries as a means to the establishment of a global Islamic caliphate, organized a mass rally billed as the "March for Khilafat [Caliphate]" in Dhaka.
