Damascus: Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, stated on Wednesday that militants confronting the Assad government did so without international support. Speaking to Al Arabiya news channel, Al-Sharaa emphasised that the weapons used in the conflict were locally produced.
“The Syrian people are exhausted from years of conflict, and the country will not witness another war,” Al-Sharaa asserted, reflecting a shift in the narrative of the prolonged Syrian crisis.
In a move to pursue accountability, Al-Sharaa announced that individuals involved in atrocities during Bashar Assad’s regime, including the killing of civilians and torture, would face justice. He confirmed that HTS’ Military Operations Department is tasked with identifying and prosecuting war criminals.
“We will pursue the war criminals and demand them from the countries to which they fled so that they may receive their just punishment,” he declared. A comprehensive list of high-ranking officers and security officials implicated in war crimes will be made public, and rewards will be offered for credible information leading to their apprehension.
Al-Sharaa also noted a commitment to reconciliation for those uninvolved in violence.
“The military leadership is committed to tolerance for those whose hands are not stained with the blood of the Syrian people,” he said, highlighting an amnesty for individuals who served under compulsory conscription.
