HTS recruits residents of Syria’s northwest to weaken other factions’ role
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) is intensifying its military training courses to recruit residents including children in areas held by it aiming at banning young people from joining other factions, a military source of the armed factions in Idlib, northwest Syria, said on Thursday.
“The HTS seeks to join the largest possible number of young men who want to join the armed faction and recruit them within its ranks in order not to join other factions,” the military source that operates within the ranks of the National Front for Liberation told North Press.
The HTS is following “a systematic policy of tightening the screw on the area with the aim of weakening the role of other factions operating in the region,” the source added under the condition of anonymity.
“The HTS seeks to make recruitment compulsory in the future by establishing a military recruitment administration to replace the affiliation centers in addition to a military college to raise the capabilities of fighters in its ranks,” the sources noted.
Meanwhile, residents fear the imposition of compulsory conscription especially after the Salvation Government (HTS civil wing) established a military collage in March.
The conscription offices affiliated with HTS announced about launching three recruiting training courses in areas in the countryside of Idlib and Aleppo, local sources told North Press.
During the past two weeks, conscription offices in Atmeh, Harem, Ariha, the northern and central area, Sarmada, Idlib, and Jisr al-Shughur launched three recruiting courses in favor of the HTS for married civilians only, the sources added.
“Two courses of the announced training ones were completed and the third is scheduled to begin on Thursday. The recruit will be subjected to two months course (one month religion course and one month military training) according to which he will gain financial grants in return for his affiliation,” the sources noted.
The HTS is exploiting the economic conditions and the devaluation of the Turkish lira, which is imposed on dealings in Idlib, to recruit residents and children, according to military analysts’ reports.
The HTS periodically launches recruiting courses to recruit civilians and children in order to strengthen its power and influence throughout the region, according to the same sources.