[Midden-Oosten] In Idlib (Syria), widespread resistance to HTS and regime alike

[Jeff]

Idlib resists
November 9, 2019 by Leila Al Shami
https://leilashami.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/idlib-resists/

[PHOTO: 
https://leilashami.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/eiyofukwkaavq87.jpeg 
Demonstration in Maarat Al Nu’man in solidarity with Kafar Takharim and 
against HTS, 7 November. Photo credit: MMC]

Over the past few days a popular uprising has broken out across Idlib 
against the hardline Islamist group HTS (formerly Al-Qaeda linked Nusra) 
which is militarily dominant in much of the province.

The recent uprising began when HTS increased Zakaat (taxes) on a number 
of goods and services including bread, electricity and olive oil.

In Kafar Takharim, a town in north-western Idlib, which is dependent on 
olive oil production for income, locals refused to pay increased taxes 
and attempts by HTS to control the olive oil presses.

The local council in Kafar Takharim has long resisted attempts at take 
over by the HTS linked Salvation Government. Locals staged protests and 
stormed HTS controlled olive presses and police stations, successfully 
evicting HTS from their community.

HTS surrounded the town and demanded that locals hand over a number of 
individuals who participated in the protests under threat of 
retaliation. The locals refused and determined to continue their 
resistance against the militants.

On 6 November HTS forces besieged the town and began attacking it with 
mortar and machine gun fire killing at least 3 people and injuring 
others. But the locals continued resisting and all around Idlib towns 
and villages rose up in solidarity with Kafar Takharim, demanding that 
HTS and it’s leader Jolani leave the province. People took to the 
streets in Idlib city , Salqin, Maarat Al Nu’man, Darkush, Samarda, 
Ariha, Kurin, Armanaz and elsewhere. People from Armanaz and Idlib city 
began marching towards Kafar Takharim to try and break the siege but 
were blocked by HTS militants. On 7 November protesters from Salqin 
managed to break into the town from the north.

Popular resistance to HTS has been a regular occurrence in Idlib 
province and chants against Jolani are regularly heard at the 
anti-regime protests which are held almost every Friday. Many see the 
group’s authoritarianism as no different from that of the regime.

HTS militants increased their control over the province in January 
following intense fighting with rebel groups. Since then it has 
attempted to impose control over civilian governance through the 
creation of the Salvation Government which has taken over service 
provision, local councils and education despite the wide-spread 
resistance of locals who have courageously attempted to defend their 
autonomy and the democratic institutions they established following 
liberation from the regime.

People were further outraged by wide-spread arrests which have targeted 
civil society activists and media workers some of whom are reported to 
have died under torture in HTS-run prisons. HTS is widely believed to 
have been behind the assassinations of Raed Fares and Hamoud Jneed in 
November 2018 who were key figures in revolutionary organizing in Idlib 
and involved in the popular independent radio station Radio Fresh.

In September large scale protests erupted against HTS and the continuing 
aerial bombardment of the province by the regime and Russia. The regime 
intensified its assault on the province in April conducting a 
scorched-earth campaign against residential areas which has caused 
around half a million to flee, has killed over 1,000 and has directly 
targeted civilian infrastructure including over 50 hospitals and medical 
centres.

The dominant narrative promoted by the regime and supporters of Syrian 
fascism is that Idlib is a ‘terrorist enclave’. The presence of a few 
thousand extremist militants is presented as justification for the 
campaign of extermination waged against Idlib’s civilian population of 
some 3 million people, which includes 1 million children.

Today’s uprising should challenge this narrative. Syrians have 
continually resisted all forms of authoritarianism and sought to defend 
their autonomy and desire for freedom and democracy since 2011.

Despite being trapped between the regime and extremists, Idlib remains 
home to many inspiring civil initiatives and outpourings of creative 
resistance. Just a few weeks ago, 20 year old rapper Amir Al Muarri 
released the fierce track ‘On All Fronts’ 
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNd8p8ONf2I] produced in Idlib. The 
video (which has subtitles in English, Spanish and Russian) provides a 
portrait of the province and the diversity of its residents who continue 
to survive and resist despite living apocalyptic conditions. He spares 
no criticism for the brutality of the regime, the armed factions which 
have hijacked the revolution and the foreign interventions of Russia, 
Iran and Turkey.

It’s people like Amir and the civilians risking their lives to protest 
today who are Syria’s future and who defy lazy assumptions that the 
choice Syrians face is between a fascist regime and Al Qaeda. There’s 
always been a third option.