Turkish-backed factions wary of jihadi group in north Syria
The opponents of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are accusing it of trying to wrest control over the areas of the Turkish-backed factions in north Syria, in light of its recent rapprochement with some of these factions.
Tensions between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, and Turkish-backed Syrian factions are escalating once again. The Azm Operations Room, which brings together a number of Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army factions, accuses HTS of planning to enter FSA-held areas in north Syria.
Most recently, Sheikh Ahmed al-Helwi, a member of the body's Grievance Response Committee, released an audio message in which he criticized the leader of the FSA-affiliated Suleiman Shah Brigade for corruption-related issues.
Helwi also accused HTS of supporting the Suleiman Shah Brigade to infiltrate FSA-held areas.
HTS leader Abu Maria al-Qahtani responded to the audio recording, saying on Telegram Dec. 31 before his account was removed on Jan. 4 that Helwi attacked the Suleiman Shah Brigade and its leader Mohammed Jassem over their ties to HTS and not because of corruption, as he claimed.
