HTS’s al-Golani talks about developments in northern Syria

Abu Mohammad al-Golani, the leader of Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, the most powerful anti-Assad group in northern Syria, held a meeting on Saturday (August 3) with media activists in Idlib in which he talked about the latest developments in the area.   

Al-Golani talked about the eighty-day offensive launched by the Assad militiamen on Idlib and Hama northern countryside without achieving any progress on the ground against the opposition fighters and the anti-Assad factions. 

"The goal of the largest offensive launched by the regime was to capture the city of Idlib."

Al-Golani said "ceasefire proposals" were offered to HTS one month ago but all of them were rejected because the regime militias didn’t withdraw to the zero-line land (the areas captured after the 30th of April by the regime).

The regime militias failed to make any ground progress despite the heavy airstrikes launched by the Russian air force, al-Golani said.  

We have rejected Astana from the first day, considering it treachery for the blood of those who were killed by the Assad militias, he said.

"Truce" is a term that’s different from  "ceasefire" which is fragile and temporary, according to Golani.

He also said that they agreed on the ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of people as the al-Adha eid is soon to come and that the Assad militiamen mainly target popular marketplaces.

A ceasefire was reached in northwestern Syria and it came into force at midnight of August the first. The US Department of State welcomed the ceasefire and confirming no military solution in Syria.