Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has been and remains the dominant insurgent faction in northwest Syria (Idlib and its environs) and has extended its influence into parts of north Aleppo countryside that are controlled by factions of the Turkish-backed 'Syrian National Army' (SNA). However, the group has experienced some internal tensions and splits at the top leadership level in recent months. Although these internal problems are interesting, they are unlikely to lead to any major internal fragmentation in the group, and if anything, they reflect the firm grip that the HTS's overall leader Abu Muhammad al-Jowlani has over the organisation. In turn, the internal tensions are ultimately unimportant in terms of the general status quo in Syria of a frozen conflict.
The most recent split to befall HTS is the case of Abu Ahmad Zakur (real name most commonly given as Jihad 'Isa al-Shaykh), who was sanctioned in May 2023 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control in coordination with the Turkish authorities. In the designation (where his name was given as 'Omar Alsheak'), Zakur was described as being part of HTS's Shura Council ('the consultation council'- essentially the group's most senior leadership body), involved in HTS's financial wing (specifically the "economic portfolio abroad") and occupying the position of head of the group's public relations office. In another release by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Jihad 'Isa al-Shaykh was given as one of Zakur's names.
This month, Zakur formally announced his departure from HTS (and likewise the organisation issued a document announcing his removal). Zakur had fled from HTS's direct areas of control in Idlib and its environs and come to the Azaz area of north Aleppo countryside, part of the SNA's areas of control. Zakur released audio recordings in which he made accusations against HTS and its leader Jowlani. Specifically, as summarised by pro-opposition newspaper Enab Baladi:
[Click here to continue reading]:
https://aymennaltamimi.substack.com/p/splits-in-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-the