HTS arrests 21 anti-Jolani protestors in Idlib
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front), arrested on Saturday 21 civilians in Idlib Governorate, northwestern Syria, following a women-led protest against the group’s leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.
A local source reported that HTS’s General Security Service (GSS) conducted raids in the city of Sarmada and the village of Deir Hassan in the northern countryside of Idlib, just hours after the protest. The demonstration called for the release of prisoners and demanded the removal of al-Jolani from power.
Among those arrested were seven women who had participated in the protest. The arrestees were accused of “disrupting public order.” According to the source, the raids led to property damage and violent encounters with residents, who described the actions of HTS forces as heavy-handed and aggressive.
The source also mentioned that three HTS security checkpoints and patrols are still active in Sarmada and Deir Hassan, as the group continues searching for other individuals who evaded arrest during the initial operation.