The militant leader of the core group driving Syria’s armed opposition told CNN that his main goal is to “overthrow” autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad, just as rebel forces move apace to take control of yet another major city from the regime this week.
“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the chief of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), said on Thursday.
Al-Jolani spoke to CNN on the heels of a stunning offensive launched by anti-government militias more than a week ago, when rebels wrenched control of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo – before capturing the strategic city of Hama, further south.
Then on Friday, streams of civilians have been seen fleeing Homs, ahead of potential hostilities between regime forces, and rebel forces who charged towards the city.
Human rights warnings: Syria’s rebel fighters have a shared goal of crunching Assad’s dynastic grip on power. But Jolani’s roots in al Qaeda – which he later broke ties with – have cast a shadow over his ambitions.
Human rights advocates also raised concerns over HTS’ recent treatment of political dissidents in Idlib, in northwestern Syria. The United States designated HTS a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2018 and placed a $10 million bounty on Jolani.