-
Blinken Calls on Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham to Embrace Political Moderation
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has issued an important call to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which took control in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, urging it to reaffirm its commitments to moderation and learn from past experiences that led to the downfall of the ousted regime, as well as the current international isolation faced by the Taliban.
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which led efforts to overthrow the Assad regime and worked to reduce its ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, remains listed as a "terrorist" organization in many Western capitals, including Washington.
Speaking during an intervention at the Council on Foreign Relations research center in New York, Blinken stated, "The Taliban presented a more moderate image while controlling Afghanistan, but they were unable to maintain that facade, which resulted in their growing international isolation," according to Agence France-Presse. Blinken emphasized, "If you do not want this isolation, there are steps you must take to move the country forward."
He pointed out that the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. forces and then adopted a hardline policy regarding women's rights after a period of relative openness.
Blinken also called for the formation of a "non-sectarian" Syrian government that guarantees minority rights and addresses security concerns, including the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the need to eliminate remaining chemical weapon stockpiles.
At the end of his remarks, the U.S. Secretary of State warned Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham about the importance of learning from the collapse of the Assad regime, affirming that Assad's failure to engage in the political process was one of the key factors that led to his downfall.
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
Syrians' concerns now
- December 10, 2024
Syrians' concerns now #Syria
#Bashar_al-Assad
#Liberation_of_Syria
#Syrians
#Future_of_Syria
#Levant_News
