WHO ARE THE “REBELS” IN SYRIA

The corporate media is celebrating the gains made by the “rebels” in Syria in their campaign to overthrow the government. But don’t be fooled – these are no freedom fighters.

THE SYRIAN “REBELS” ARE LED DY AL-QAEDA.

The coalition of groups that has seized key cities in recent days is led by an organization called Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). That’s the new name adopted by al-Nusra Front in 2017. Al-Nusra was the official branch of al-Qaeda in Syria. Around the time it changed its name, al-Nusra pretended to break ties with al-Qaeda. But during the official announcement of this move, the group’s leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani thanked al-Qaeda for understanding the need to change the “international community’s” perception, and al-Qaeda’s leader issued a simultaneous message endorsing the decision.

CRIMES AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA:

HTS is notorious for using brutal violence to enforce its ultra • right-wing, religious fundamentalist views. For example: ◦ HTS executes women for adultery, including death by stoning • HTS has also executed people for being gay, including a 17-year- old • Boys and girls in HTS-controlled areas cannot go to the same schools ‣ HTS hates religious minorities. For instance, when it captured a Druze village in 2015, HTS fighters forced the residents to convert and then dug up the tombs of Druze saints.

THE SYRIAN “REBELS” GET HELP FROM THE U.S. EMPIRE.

In 2012, the CIA started an operation codenamed “Timber Sycamore”‘ to arm and train anti-government armed groups in Syria. Many of these weapons were sent to groups allied with HTS, and ultimately ended up in the hands of HTS fighters. The CIA was, in effect, arming al-Qaeda.

Related:

Syrian rebel leader says goal is to ‘overthrow’ Assad regime (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani)