Jabhat al-Nusra (Tahrir al-Sham and its allies), which controls some areas of northwestern Syria, expressed condolences over the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. It seeks to show itself in a state of moderation after being included on the global “terrorism” list.
Abdul Rahim Atoun, a senior religious leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, wrote on al-Nusra’s Telegram channel, “Rest in peace,” commenting on the news of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s death.
It has already been reported that Jabhat al-Nusra is part of al-Qaeda and welcomed the 9/11 attacks in the United States. But to get rid of the label of “terrorism,” it tried in Syria to show itself in a state of “moderation.” It became involved with other “Islamic groups” and called itself Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), officially distancing itself from the al-Qaeda organization. An article published by the al-Monitor website indicates that HTS is still affiliated with the al-Qaeda organization, although it denies this fact.
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Zawahiri’s condolences are contrary to HTS’ attempts to present itself in a state of moderation. It has recently taken drastic measures to “re-brand” itself through restructuring its organization and changing its ranks. For example, instead of using the term “emir,” it began using military ranks such as captain and general.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
