Abu Muhammad al-Julani: Syria is not a threat to neighbors or the West

The leader of the rebels ruling Syria claims that his country is not a 'threat' to its neighbors or the West, stating that he is 'tired and worn out' from the wars and does not intend to turn Syrian territory into a base for attacks on Israel. Ahmad al-Shar' (known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani) said in an interview with the BBC Global on Wednesday, December 19, that following all the events that have occurred in Syria, international sanctions against the country should be lifted, as these sanctions were against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which has now fallen. He stated that 'victims and oppressors should not be treated equally' and also called for the international community to remove 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham', which he commands and which ended Bashar al-Assad's rule, from the terrorist list. The forces of 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham', which after the civil war ruled only the Idlib province in northwestern Syria, advanced towards Aleppo on December 8 and quickly seized other strategic cities, entering Damascus on the morning of December 18. On that day, Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. Ahmad al-Shar' claimed in the BBC interview that the forces of 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' have not targeted civilians or civilian areas during their activities and were themselves 'victims of the crimes of the Bashar al-Assad regime'. He also rejected the notion that Syria would become a new version of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, stating that Afghanistan was a 'tribal society with its own traditions', while Syria is 'different' and has its own values. The commander of 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' said that women in Syria would not be deprived of education and that he personally believes in women's education. Al-Julani added that universities in Idlib have been active for the past eight years and that 'over 60 percent of the seats at Idlib University were held by women'. In another part of the interview regarding alcohol consumption, he said it is a 'legal' matter and a Syrian committee of legal experts will decide on it when drafting the constitution, and any decision will bind the ruler or president. Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, said on Wednesday to the BBC Global that the fulfillment of the new Syrian leadership's promises regarding respect for the rights of all religious and ethnic groups is important and that it is 'vital' that these 'positive' statements are implemented. Mr. Pedersen, who was in Damascus this week, added that he has heard from many Syrians who are skeptical and wonder whether these promises will actually be fulfilled by someone who has long been an extremist jihadist. According to Mr. Pedersen, Ahmad al-Shar' and his group must work 'with a broader spectrum of opponents' of Bashar al-Assad's regime and also with active women in civil society. Syria, during the 54-year rule of Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, was considered a diverse and secular society where women were active, despite a long civil war and anti-government uprisings. Al-Julani, who has effectively taken over the leadership of Syria since December 18, has allowed women to be 'free' in their dress and prohibited restrictions on their clothing. However, a video of him has surfaced in which he admonishes a Syrian girl about her hijab. Meanwhile, several bars and nightclubs in Damascus and Aleppo have resumed operations in recent days. In the meantime, Damascus Airport resumed domestic flights for the first time since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Wednesday. The first domestic flight was from Damascus to Aleppo. Abu Muhammad al-Julani also stated on Wednesday in an interview with the Turkish newspaper 'Yeni Şafak' that Syria will establish 'strategic relations' with Turkey in its new era and will prioritize Turkey in the reconstruction of Syria, as Syria 'trusts Turkey in transferring its experiences in economic development'. He referred to Turkey as a country that has treated Syrian refugees 'better than any other country'. Hakan Fidan, Turkey's Foreign Minister, called on the international community, including the United Nations, on Wednesday to remove 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' from the terrorist list. The Turkish newspaper Sabah reported on Wednesday that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has instructed all ministries in his country to take any necessary political and economic actions to assist Syria and to send delegations to Syria to assess the needs of the country. According to Sabah, Turkish merchants, NGOs, and companies will play a significant role in the reconstruction of Syria. The newspaper also reported that thousands of Syrian refugees who have lived in Turkey for the past decade continue to return to their homeland through three border posts in Hatay province in southern Turkey. Refugees who leave Turkey will be deprived of the right to return. However, the Guardian reported on Wednesday that after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the Bulgarian government is 'forcing' Syrian refugees in the country to sign documents in Bulgarian without awareness of their contents, claiming 'voluntary return' for these individuals. The report indicates that Bulgaria has recently committed 'violence' against Syrian refugees. Last week, Britain, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, and several other European countries announced that they would stop processing asylum requests from Syrians after the fall of Assad's regime. According to the Guardian, reports from refugee rights organizations indicate that violence and harassment of Syrian refugees in Europe, including in the Netherlands, have intensified in the past two weeks, and the collapse of Assad's regime has 'given EU countries an excuse to implement hostile anti-immigrant policies'. These human rights organizations have stated that the fall of a dictator has not ended decades of conflict in Syria. The latest UN report earlier this month estimated the number of Syrian refugees who fled their civil war at least 7.4 million.