commander Houssam Atrash, previously affiliated to the Zinki Brigade, was decried by jihadists as "apostasy". In a series of tweets, Atrash called on rebel groups including HTS to dissolve and join an opposition interim government that would rule over rebel areas.

The tweets were vehemently criticised by former members of HTS' mother organisation JN, who defected when the group broke from Qaeda. Such was the case of Jordanian Jihadists Abou Khadija, Abu Juleibib and Dr Sami Uraydi.



According to a telegram page called Wareeth Zarqawi, posting the writings of Qaeda and Nusra ideologues, relations between former Nusra hardliners and HTS soured to the point that the organisation is prosecuting Abou Khadija and Abou Juleibib.

Atrash's statements are unprecedented because they clash with HTS' hardliner belief in an Islamic Sharia form ofgovernment

The telegram channel also published a piece by Dr Uraydi, an influential cleric within the former JN, condemning HTS' mute response to Atrash's statement. On its telegram page HTS underlined that Atrash statement was an "individual opinion".



Dr Uraydi denounced his "brother's" reaction in reference to HTS military commander Mohamad Joulani and HTS member Sheikh Abdel Rahim Attoun, adding that in a previous discussion with both men, Joulani said when asked what he would do if new members of HTS endorsed a democratic form of government, that "he would kill anyone who advanced such a proposal".

Uraydi argued that either Joulani had changed his mind, or had lost control over his organisation. In addition, al-Qaeda ideologue Sheikh Mohamad Maqdessi condemned HTS' response to Atrash as shameful, labelling the latter's statement