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On December 19, 2024, Syrian jihadi cleric Abu Yehya Al-Shami posted on Telegram that Syrian secular Muslims in Damasus organized a demonstration in Umayyad Square demanding a secular civil state.[1]
"If Seculars Are Not Contained, Armed Rivals Will Rise"
The cleric warned Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) that such calls would endanger the future of Syria. He advised the organization, which led the successful military offensive against Bashar Al-Assad's regime, that tolerating such demands would allow a rival armed entity to rise:
"Tolerating crocodiles [i.e., seculars] will only increase their criminality and immorality, and tomorrow [some] armed forces will emerge claiming to protect the choice of these demonstrators and countries that support them - a counter-revolution scenario," he said.
"United Front Against Seculars"
Suggesting steps to contain such perspectives, the Salafi jihadi cleric, who was a key figure in Idlib-based anti-HTS protests, told the HTS leadership to release prisoners that it holds in its prisons, to avoid internal rifts and criticism.
He further advised HTS to form a united front to represent those who participated in the military offense against the former regime, "so that there is general consensus and cooperation against the counter-revolution [i.e., seculars]."
"Secular Muslims Should Be Dealt With Differently"
He also told HTS to deal differently with secular Muslims than the way it deals with Syrians from other faiths, such as Christians.
"Third, isolating the ill-defined who are affiliated with Islam [i.e., seculars] from other sects. Because those affiliated with Islam are not permitted, and have no right, to call for what Christians call for, for example. And dealing with a Muslim in the event of his deviance is different from dealing with a person of other religions, and this has constitutional and legal methods that can be approved and implemented."
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