London-Based Syrian researcher Ghassan Ibrahim said in a video posted to his YouTube channel on January 16, 2025 that since the recent overthrow of Syria's Bashar Al-Assad regime, groups comprised of foreign jihadis have started attempting to impose their radical agendas throughout Syria. He said that HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa (also known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad Al-Jolani) must expel the radical foreign jihadis, lest they become a burden on him and on any government in Syria. He said that Al-Sharaa is the only person right now who can deal with these groups, and he said that he should round them up and send them "far away from Syria," and that he should perhaps "talk with" the Afghan Taliban, since "maybe they want them there." He added: "Don't be the next [ruler] to be deposed. Get rid of them first."
Click here or below to view the clip on MEMRI TV:
"Foreign Jihadi Groups Will Become A Burden In Syria; They Believe They Have Carried Out Religious Conquests And Must Therefore Impose Their Logic And Interpretations Of Religion On The Syrians"
Ghassan Ibrahim: "Some of those Jihadi groups have started to interfere in the Syrians' lives.
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"Today, now that the ecstasy over the victory has subsided, they have begun to advance their agendas. I am certain that even [HTS leader] Ahmed Al-Sharaa is not pleased about this.
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"If these people are not dealt with, they will become a burden even on Ahmed Al-Sharaa. They will become a burden on the interim government, on the National Dialogue conference, and on all future governments.
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"They believe that they have carried out religious conquests and must therefore impose their logic and their interpretation of religions on the Syrians.
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"Round Up These [Foreign] Extremists And Send Them Far Away From Syria; Talk With The Afghan Taliban – Maybe They Want Them There; Perhaps They Are A Better Fit There Than In Syria"
"These Jihadists know only two things: Believers and infidels. Believers are people that align with their mentality. Half the Muslims in Syria could end up being infidels in their view, not to mention the other minorities and religions.
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"Dealing with these savages will necessarily lead to problems and bloodshed. At least for now, nobody can rein them in quickly and urgently, except for Ahmed Al-Saraa.
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"Round up those [foreign] extremists and send them far away from Syria. Talk with the [Taliban] group in Afghanistan – maybe they want them there. Perhaps they are a better fit there than in Syria.
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"Expel these extremists from the same window they entered through, because they did not enter Syria through the main gates. They entered through broken windows here and there that had been left by the regime that has now been deposed. Don't be the next [ruler] to be deposed. Get rid of them first."