HTS arrests 8 people in mosque in Syria’s Idlib

IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) raided on Wednesday night a mosque in the countryside of Idlib, northwestern Syria, arresting several individuals.

An official in a police station in the town of Atmeh in the north of Idlib told North Press, the HTS conducted the raid in the al-Abrar Mosque during the Taraweeh prayers and arrested the Imam, Youssef al-Kano, and seven other individuals.

They were arrested under charges of incitement against the HTS and undermining the authority of its leader, al-Julani, the official added.

The official said that the HTS sealed the mosque’s doors until the completion of the arrests, and took the detainees to a prison in the city of Harem in the north of Idlib.

For the past two weeks, people have been protesting against the HTS, demanding the overthrowing of al-Julani, as well as the release of numerous detainees in HTS prisons.

By Hani Salem