Syria's New Government: Al-Qaeda Leaders and "Diversity-Friendly" Jihadists

New Syrian Government Formation

• 🇸🇾 A new Syrian government has been formed, presented as a compromise for a diverse cabinet to unite the country.
• 🔑 However, key portfolios like foreign affairs, defense, interior, and justice remain in the hands of leaders from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as al-Qaeda in Syria.
• 💡 The founding leader of al-Qaeda in Syria, Akmed Al-Shara (formerly Muhammad Al Jalani), is the interim president.

"Diversity-Friendly" Jihadists

• 🎭 The narrative pushed by US establishment figures was that these "diversity-friendly jihadists" planned to build a diverse, jihad-led state.
• 👔 Al-Shara has adopted cosmetic changes, including altering his clothing and shaving his beard, to appear more modernized and inclusive.
• 🚫 Despite claims of inclusivity, only one woman holds a ministerial position in the new government.

Foreign Influence and Sanctions

• 💰 The Syrian opposition was complex, with factions funded by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the CIA.
• 🇺🇸 Some ministers in the new government previously advocated for harsher sanctions on Syria and engaged with US neocons and the Zionist lobby.
• 📉 The US has laid out conditions for lifting sanctions, including the removal of foreign jihadis, but the new government's composition challenges this.

Global Jihad and Internal Power Dynamics

• 🌍 HTS, under Al-Shara, maintains an ideology of global jihad, aiming to spread a caliphate worldwide.
• 🤝 Multinational fighters, particularly from Central Asian countries, are embedded in the Syrian Ministry of Defense and security forces, receiving citizenship and high positions.
• ⚠️ Al-Shara faces a dilemma: sidelining these foreign fighters could lead to internal conflict within HTS, as they constitute a significant portion of the group's strength.
• 📉 The author expresses little hope for Syria's future as a nation-state, predicting further disintegration or federalism.