"Syria is not a threat to the world." "Do not compare Syria to Afghanistan"
World
BBC News International Editor Jeremy Bowen interviewed Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus. Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that the country is exhausted by war and poses no threat to its neighbors or other nations.
In the interview, he called for the lifting of sanctions against Syria. "Now, after everything that has happened, sanctions must be lifted because they were aimed at the old regime. The victim and the oppressor should not be treated equally," he said.
For context, Sharaa led the lightning offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime a few days ago. He is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant group in the rebel alliance, previously known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.
According to Sharaa, HTS is not a terrorist group. They did not target civilians or civilian areas. In fact, they consider themselves victims of Assad regime crimes.
Sharaa emphasized that Syria should not be compared to Afghanistan. He argued that the two countries are fundamentally different, with distinct traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society, whereas Syria operates differently.
He expressed his belief in women’s right to education. Sharaa referenced Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, which has been under rebel control since 2011: "In Idlib, we’ve had universities functioning for more than eight years, and the proportion of women among students exceeds 60%."
Sharaa attended the interview in modern civilian clothing, aiming to portray himself as a progressive figure rather than a member of an extremist group.
The actions of Syria's new leadership in the coming months will reveal the kind of country Syria aims to become in the future.
It should be noted that Syria's current economic situation remains dire, and the international community is closely watching how Sharaa intends to rebuild the nation.
For context, Sharaa led the lightning offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime a few days ago. He is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant group in the rebel alliance, previously known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.
According to Sharaa, HTS is not a terrorist group. They did not target civilians or civilian areas. In fact, they consider themselves victims of Assad regime crimes.
Sharaa emphasized that Syria should not be compared to Afghanistan. He argued that the two countries are fundamentally different, with distinct traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society, whereas Syria operates differently.
He expressed his belief in women’s right to education. Sharaa referenced Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, which has been under rebel control since 2011: "In Idlib, we’ve had universities functioning for more than eight years, and the proportion of women among students exceeds 60%."
Sharaa attended the interview in modern civilian clothing, aiming to portray himself as a progressive figure rather than a member of an extremist group.
The actions of Syria's new leadership in the coming months will reveal the kind of country Syria aims to become in the future.
It should be noted that Syria's current economic situation remains dire, and the international community is closely watching how Sharaa intends to rebuild the nation.
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