Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:11am on 19 Dec 2024,Thursday International
Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, now the de facto leader following Bashar al-Assad's ouster, urged the lifting of sanctions on Syria, asserting they target a bygone regime. Speaking to the BBC, Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), denied extremism claims and called for HTS's removal from global terror lists. He emphasized Syria's distinct identity, support for women’s education, and legal reform through a Syrian committee. Sharaa stressed HTS’s focus on opposing Assad's regime, not targeting civilians. Despite his assurances, skepticism persists among Syrians and international observers about HTS’s commitment to moderate governance.
