Protests in Tartous Accuse "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" of Protecting Criminals

Protests in Tartous Accuse "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" of Protecting Criminals
Angry demonstrations in Tartous indicate growing popular resentment of security and sectarian influence exploitation by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
December 18, 2024, 8:43 pm

محافظة طرطوس

Angry protesters gathered in front of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham-controlled Tartous police command building, protesting their elements' failure to pursue criminals and protect citizens.

The protesters accused HTS elements of direct collusion with criminal networks, documenting numerous cases of facilitating the escape of suspects accused of murder and theft, coinciding with the release of inflammatory sectarian slogans, while it was revealed that several fugitive criminals belonged to HTS-affiliated factions.

These protests come months after Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, took control of the area following a sudden 12-day attack, during which HTS militants advanced from Idlib to Damascus through Hama and Homs.

These events were linked to the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attack launched by Hamas in Gaza, which subsequently led to the elimination of the movement and devastating strikes against Lebanese Hezbollah, ending with the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the transformation of police agencies into protection networks for criminals instead of pursuing and bringing them to justice, demanding an end to the widespread phenomenon of impunity under HTS authority.

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