Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS), revealed the goal of the forces' offensive in Syria is to "overthrow" the regime of President Bashar al-Assad using "all available means."
In an exclusive interview with CNN published on Friday, the leader asserted that despite Iran and Russia's efforts to prop up the regime, it is "dead." Al-Jolani called for a shift in Syria's governance "based on institutions, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions." He also expressed a strong desire for the departure of foreign forces, including those from the United States, Turkey, Russia, and Iran, as well as its proxy groups.
The rebel group has made significant advances, seizing control of key cities such as Aleppo and Hama. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the forces are now just 5 kilometers from Homs after capturing the towns of Rastan and Talbisseh, a strategic move that would "cut off the main road leading to the Syrian coast."
