Syria’s top jihadist group hails Taliban takeover

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alliance, led by al-Qaeda’s former Syria affiliate, welcomes the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, saying it hopes Syria’s jihadists will also be victorious.

The armed group that formally broke ties with al-Qaeda years ago is considered to be the most prominent jihadist group in Syria after a decade of war.

HTS controls nearly half of the Idlib region — the last remaining opposition bastion in Syria — alongside other less influential groups.

It says the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan following two decades of US occupation was an example to follow.

“We congratulate our Taliban brothers and our people in Afghanistan for this clear conquest, and ask God to also grant the Syrian revolution victory,” the group says in a statement released on its social media channels.