IDLIB, Syria ( North press) – Aftera decade and for the first time, a ceremony commemorating Saint Anne was held in the Armenian al-Yacoubiyah Church in the countryside of Jisr al-Shugur west of Idlib, northwest Syria.
This comes nearly a month after leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) Abu Mohammad al-Julani met a number of Idlib’s Christians living in the villages of Qunaya, al-Yacoubiah, Jdayde in Jisr al-Shugur.
Videos and photos went viral, showing the opening ceremonies of the church in which tens of Christians take part in a bid seen by observers and activists as a move by al-Julani to approach the West and to show himself as a moderate figure.
Regarding the real drives of the HTS to do so, the Moscow- based Syrian political analyst Nasr al-Yusuf said, “It is three years since al-Julani initiated a new approach in the region based on presenting himself as a figure that accepts dialogue and to be a partner to the future Syrian dialogue.”
Al-Yusuf indicated when the HTS leader appears in civilian dress and making interviews with western media outlets and meeting Christians and Druze in Idlib, he “tries to present himself as tolerant, open to dialogue, talks and negotiations.”
De-terrorization attempt
Nearly two years ago, al-Julani set on, appearing in civilian dress especially on occasions in addition to visiting a number of Christian villages in Jisr al-Shugur south of Idlib and villages in Jabal al-Summaq north of Idlib, which have a predominantly Druze population, more recently.
Regarding attempts to remove him from terrorist list, the political analyst believes Russia cannot reconcile with the HTS or remove it from the terrorist list. This was affirmed by the Russian President and his Foreign Minister that dress or renaming “has nothing to do with change.”
While, the United States “Could turn a blind eye to the HTS as it is happening now, he moves freely in Idlib and has not been targeted by aircrafts of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS,” according to al-Yusuf.
In 2018, the United States classified the HTS, led by al-Julani, and every faction affiliated with it, as a terrorist organization.
The United States listed al-Jolani as a specially designated global terrorist in 2013. In 2020, US State Department Reward for Justice Program offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest.
Speaking of the HTS future in the country, al-Yusuf ruled out that “any terrorist religious organizations will have a role in the future; these organizations will end with the termination of anarchy that was created by the Syrian regime.”
Since controlling Idlib in 2015, extremist factions led by HTS used to harass Christians not to mention seizing their properties, closing their churches and forbidding them to practice their rituals.
According to reports, there were some 200 Christians mostly elderly people living in Idlib up to 2022. They live in Jisr al-Shugur, Idlib, and in the villages of al-Qunaya, al-Yacoubiah, Jdayde, Halluz and in al- Gassaneyah. They follow the Roman Orthodox Church.
Prior to the Syrian crisis, there were 10.000 Christians living in Idlib.
However, it is nearly two years that HTS has been seeking to change the world’s view via approaching Christian and Druse minorities.
No fruition
The re-opening of al-Yacoubiah Church comes at a time when HTS is evacuating houses and properties of the Christians inhabited, now, by militants from different nationalities, paving the way for the return of its original inhabitants and to reopen “St. Mary Orthodox Church” in the middle of Idlib which was closed in 2015.
The HTS claimed that vast majority of these houses are public property while the remainder is demanded by its original owners.
Idlib has a number of churches, one in al-Yacoubiah, one in al- Qunaya which is still closed; there are two in Jdayde still closed, and two others in Idlib one of which is St. Mary Orthodox Church which is going to be opened.
Syrian military expert Ahmad Rahal said al-Julani has sought to approach Europe, the US and others for years.
Rahal added, “Today, he [al-Julani] seeks not only to remove himself from the terrorist list, rather he tries to lead the region he controls and those under the power of Turkey and its backed factions by dialogue and to become the representative of the Syrian revolution.”
Rahal agrees with al-Yusuf that al-Julani tries to present himself as a moderate man and that he should be removed from the black list, but what he does are “open maneuvers doomed to fail.”