Al-Qaeda Supporters Lash Out At Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS)-Linked Syrian Administration For Granting New Year's Vacation, Allegedly Issuing Holiday Greetings To Christians

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On December 31, 2024, the Prime Minister's office in the new Syrian administration, linked to jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), announced that all government institutions would be on vacation on January 1-2, 2025, with the exception of ministries and public bodies whose work demands constant activity.[1]

The office had previously given government offices off on December 25-26.[2] Neither order explicitly mentioned Christmas or New Year's Day.

Pro-Al-Qaeda Cleric Mocks HTS-Linked Administration For Treating New Year's Like Islamic Holiday

Canada-based Egyptian-born pro-Al-Qaeda cleric Tariq Abdelhaleem lashed out at the HTS-linked administration in a December 31 Telegram post, writing sarcastically: "The New Year's holiday, mashallah! How are the bearded mujahideen? A good start to the year, a public rest, which coincidentally came on the New Year's holiday. Okay, o Sunni majority, o people of Al-Sharaa [the name of the HTS leader known as Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani] and shari'a!" Abdelhaleem added: "We will not object to the Emirates, then, or to Egypt or Tunisia, or to any Muslim who goes out to celebrate the New Year, for it is a new holiday for Muslims. Congratulations!"[3]

Pro-Al-Qaeda Media Group Lashes Out At Al-Joulani For Allegedly Congratulating Christians On New Year, Contrasts HTS With Al-Qaeda Affiliate Hurras Al-Din

On January 1, 2025, the pro-Al-Qaeda Risalat Mujahid [Message of a Mujahid] media outlet shared a statement allegedly by HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, congratulating Christians on the New Year's holiday and wishing them "happy times full of blessing," stressing that they are "an integral part of the Syrian social fabric." Lashing out at the HTS leader for "congratulating his Christian brothers" on the new year, the account wrote: "It's no secret to the Muslims why the Christians celebrate this day and what they believe about this day. May Allah be exalted greatly above what they say."[4]

Later that day, Risalat Mujahid shared a video of a raid by Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Hurras Al-Din on a Russian position north of Raqqa on New Year's Eve 2021, writing that the group's mujahideen "congratulated the polytheists on the new year in their own way, with martyrdom-seekers and inghimasis [commando-style fighters who strike behind enemy lines]." The account asked Allah to accept the martyrs slain in the raid and to "keep our brothers who are still rebels steadfast on their path to implement Allah's shari'a on Earth."[5]

The account later clarified: "It appears that the statement issued by Al-Joulani is not confirmed. Reports are conflicted between rejecting and confirming the statement."[6]

As the statement was not published on the General Command Telegram channel, where all official statements of the HTS leadership are being released, it seems that it is not authentic.

A few days ago, chief HTS religious official 'Abd Al-Rahim 'Atoun published a Telegram post warning Muslims against celebrating Christmas or offering greetings on the holiday.[7]