Syria is not a threat to the world, HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told the BBC

Sharaa said that HTS is not a terrorist group.

According to him, they did not target civilians or civilian areas. In fact, they considered themselves victims of the crimes of the Assad regime. According to him, the victims should not be treated the same as the oppressors.

He denied that he wanted to turn Syria into a version of Afghanistan.

Sharaa said that countries have very different traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society. According to him, there is a different way of thinking in Syria. He said that he believed in women’s education.

Sharaa was relaxed throughout the interview, dressed in civilian clothes, and tried to reassure anyone who believed his group had not departed from its extremist past.

Many Syrians do not believe him.

The actions of Syria’s new rulers in the next few months will show what kind of country they want Syria to be and how they want to rule it.