Five members of the seven-strong preparatory committee are either in HTS or close to the group, and there are no Druze or Alawite members, both of which are significant minorities in Syria.
A one-day dialogue in Damascus could signal a new chapter for Syria – but will HTS’s influence stifle real change?
Activists and human rights groups are demanding the prosecution of Khaled al-Fares, who is accused of aiding Syrian forces in tracking down and killing American journalist Marie Colvin in 2012.
The study, published by IMPACT-se, also showed that antisemitic and anti-Israel discourse is still the main tone present in the new regime’s curriculum.
Although the political landscape has changed drastically, many factors work against a mass return of refugees to Syria.
NATO member Turkey has long backed Syria's armed and political opposition to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in late December.
Julani was born in Saudi Arabia, later lived in Damascus, and joined al-Qaeda before becoming the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria.
Live TV footage showed Julani shaking hands with the crown prince in the Saudi capital before sitting down for talks.
No one wishes failure for the new Syria or strives to bring it about. Our region has grown weary of wars and conflict. These newcomers from extreme terrorist groups must now prove themselves.
The US has a rare opportunity to remake Syrian policy after a decade of anti-ISIS policy and after decades of the Assad regime controlling Damascus.
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