Syrian rebels aiming for 'conservative islamist proto-state', analyst says

Syrian rebel forces arrived at the gates of the key city of Hama on Tuesday, as their fighting with the military sparked "a large wave of displacement", a war monitor said. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Aaron Y. Zelin, Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He says that rebels under the HTS group have undertaken the 'professionalization' of their military and aiming to recreate a conservative islamist proto-state, rather than focusing on global jihad.

Dec 4, 2024 - 05:00
1111
Syrian rebels aiming for 'conservative islamist proto-state', analyst says
Syrian rebel forces arrived at the gates of the key city of Hama on Tuesday, as their fighting with the military sparked "a large wave of displacement", a war monitor said. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Aaron Y. Zelin, Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He says that rebels under the HTS group have undertaken the 'professionalization' of their military and aiming to recreate a conservative islamist proto-state, rather than focusing on global jihad.