When this 26-year-old had only 15 decision that would mark his life: he enlisted the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni Islamist organization who led the revolution against Syrian President Bashar al Assad in November last year . … It was the year 2015 and HTS was still linked Al Qaida’s Syrian branch, to Nusra. A year earlier, the war in Syria between multiple rebel factions and the army of Al Assad (supported by Russia and Iran) star Flee to countries like Turkey, Lebanon or Germany.
Abu Hamza, war name of this 1.90 young man and celestial eyes, enlisted with the faction of his city: Idlib, Bastion of the HTS. «I joined them because I wanted to fight for the people of my country. I wanted the freedom of my people in front of Assad’s dictatorship ».
Eleven years have passed and Assad seems to be history in their city, controlled by its group since 2017, and now leads the entire country.
This guerrilla accessed to talk to ABC, not without repair that the interview is done by a woman. He does not know very well how to behave and is uncomfortable and nervous during the conversation. Although he says that his convictions of joining HTS were for the freedom of his people, the ideological aspect also has its importance: Islam above all. “Allah gave us strength to fight and now we have to follow the steps he left us.” Asked about the ideological lines of the group to which he belongs, he says that “the only thing we are looking for is a Syria in peace.”
Seriously injured
On November 27, the day when HTS members began the revolution, Abu Hamza was at home. “He had his mobile in his hand waiting for the message that what we had been preparing for so long.” When he arrived, he took his gun and threw himself into the street. Three days later, I was in Aleppo, a city still controlled by Assad. The offensive, unexpected, caused the most violent fighting since 2020 in the northwest of the country, with a balance of more than 50 dead in one day, said the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (OSDH).
«It was a tremendous battle. At the entrance to the city they attacked us and as a consequence of the artillery I was injured by the side, arm and face ». Several weeks later the sequelae of the confrontation are evident: it has a bandaged arm, the nose in living flesh and difficulties to move the left side. The diagnosis was serious and advised to retire and return home «I spent four days at rest and I already joined the fifth. We had to fight, ”he recalls. He confesses that he lost some partner in the battle, but they achieved the goal: Aleppo was a rebel. It took the whole country to fall.
During the conversation, he avoids giving many more details of what the revolt was. “I’m not a spokesman to keep talking,” he says. Back to Idlib, after conquering the country, they received them as heroes, and still treat them. There is no place in the city in which they do not greet the young man with affection.
Now the doubt is to see what will happen in the future of the country. «I am optimistic. Despite what the Assad regime has left and all difficulties, things will go to better, “and ends:” Whatever the situation, it will not be worse than when people lived under the control of Assad. “
On whether he will continue in the armed faction, he is clear: «I have spent many years. Now I want to study to be a teacher ».
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