The establishment hesitates about politically correct al-Qaeda

Published 14 December 2024 at 17.07

Foreign. Starting to call itself Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) instead of al Qaeda is seen as a step in the right direction, but representatives of the Western establishment still doubt whether the terrorist group can create an inclusive, multicultural and open Syria according to the American model .

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Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi tells SVT that al Qaeda has indeed promised a peaceful coup d'état where religious and ethnic minorities will “live safely” under Islamist rule, but he is unsure if that will be the case in reality.

– Historically, not only in the Middle East but globally, we have very few examples of terrorist groups, regardless of ideology, that have succeeded in reforming themselves.

Since IS is also part of the al-Qaeda-led opposition, it can be brutal if the most radical forces gain the most power. This is because al-Qaeda, terrorist attacks against the USA notwithstanding, are considered more moderate Islamists than IS.

– There may be even more radical views in the coalition than the other groups that exist during the year. So it's a dilemma, says Atarodi.