After silence on HTS accusations | “Abu Muslim al-Shishani” replies HTS request to disband his faction and leave Idlib
The leader of Ansar al-Islam faction “Abu Muslim al-Shishani” issued a statement today, replying Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham’ practices against Junud al-Sham factions.
The statement included the following:
“The reports circulated recently regarding what happened with us left us unable to keep silent. We did not want to be a reason for defections among Muslims, so we tried to solve this disagreement away from media. However, we were shocked when we saw the spokesperson of HTS media affairs bureau speaking in media outlets, bearing us accusations we have been not related to. There was nobody in Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham could deny what happened with us and it seemed that nobody knew what happened, so we found it necessary to clarify to HTS and all Muslims the practices we were subjected to.
We were summoned by the official of the general security service of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham in our area. On the following day, I went to the headquarters of the general security service, where I was asked to disband my group and leave Idlib. An official of the general security service also informed me that this decision was definitive. When I asked the official about the reason behind this decision, especially since my group has operated in the region for more than eight years, he told unconvincing reasons. Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham wants to dominate the region and to subordinate all other groups operating in this region.
My faction is deliberately targeted, although there are many other factions opposing HTS and Ahrar al-Sham, such as Turkistan Islamic Party, so why do they ask me to leave Idlib?!
HTS has had obtained false information, as we have no relations with the criminals HTS is talking about, who are involved in the armed robbery on currency exchange shop in Kafr Tkharim, so we hope that nobody accuse us of any of such crimes.
Junud al-Sham Battalion is well-known and popular and people know that we are away from such dirty practices that defame the image of jihadists. We always warned all jihadists who fought alongside our group, including the Chechens and Ard al-Sham, not to harm civilians during the battles and not to kill the captives, except when any of them posed a threat to our safety.
Why do we sacrifice ourselves if we do not apply sharia to us?! I think we do not deserve such treatment, especially since we sacrificed a lot of our time and fighters. I am really astonished. How do they ask me to leave Idlib, although they know that I am internationally wanted?!
We will never let our people to get into trouble because of our presence in the region, and any time our people need our help, we will be ready, disregarding anything else.”