Several sheikhs and preachers from the city of Binnish have resigned in protest against the violations by “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” and the ongoing arbitrary arrests, amidst the continued presence of the group in the city and its surroundings in eastern Idlib.
A local source reported that elements of the group are still spread within the neighbourhoods of Binnish, with changes in the distribution of their security checkpoints, despite an initiative by the city’s dignitaries to reach solutions that include suspending demonstrations and forming a negotiating committee in exchange for the withdrawal of the group’s security forces.
Despite these efforts, the group carried out new arrests, prompting the city’s dignitaries to meet with the movement’s leaders, who pointed out the group’s breach of the agreement. After the meeting, the attendees were ambushed by the group, resulting in the arrest of one of the movement’s leaders.
In response to these arrests, the Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque in Binnish, Sheikh Sari Al-Sayyid, resigned from preaching, threatening to withdraw from the committee tasked with resolving the situation in the city. Several other sheikhs also resigned, including Sheikh Ma’n Diab, Sheikh Abdul Karim Ali Pasha, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Hammoudi, Sheikh Ahmed Zain Al-Abidin Samaq, and Sheikh Ahmed Jahjah.
The intellectuals and activists of Binnish expressed their discontent with the large-scale security and military presence of the group in the city and called for an end to the violations and the release of detainees. This was stated in a declaration issued last Sunday, in which they condemned the ongoing campaign of arrests and the raids on homes during the early morning hours.
“Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” continues to reinforce its presence in Binnish, despite the city’s dignitaries’ attempts to negotiate and reach peaceful solutions, exacerbating tensions and popular protests.
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.
