“... The TIP is "still officially part of the global al-Qaida network and, unlike HTS, has never distanced itself from al-Qaida," explains terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler of the Counter Extremism Project. "The fact that HTS accepts the TIP in its coalition is one of the main arguments that call into question the ideological orientation of the HTS," Schindler told the Münchner Merkur. Beijing's UN envoy Fu Cong told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that China was "extremely concerned" about reports that members of the TIP had been given high-ranking positions within the Syrian army. "We call on Syria to fulfill its obligations to combat terrorism and prevent terrorist forces from using Syrian territory to threaten the security of other countries."”

“With the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon defeated and increasingly isolated, attention turns to the Houthis in Yemen. Perhaps the strongest remaining Iranian proxy force in the region, the Houthis are certainly the most active in terms of their attacks on Israel and also on international shipping in the Red Sea… Ari Heistein is an advisor to Israeli startups seeking to sell to the U.S. federal government, a consultant on issues relating to Yemen, and a nonresident fellow at the Counter Extremism Project.”

"Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director at the Counter Extremism Project, said: “To fully assess the emerging terrorism challenges emanating from the fall of the Assad regime and the rise of HTS, it is important to understand that from a global Islamist terrorist perspective, these events did not happen in a vacuum. “Islamist terrorist sympathizers think that their forces were able to drive American and international forces out of Afghanistan in 2021; expel the French, the United Nations, and American and European forces out of West Africa since 2022; and now defeat Russia and Iran in Syria.”"

 

CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler referenced: "Parts of the HTS alliance in Syria are clearly extremist and Islamist, even if their leader appears moderate, explains extremism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler.”"

"Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, a diplomat with years of experience in Middle East affairs, former coordinator at the UN Security Council and now director of the Counter Extremism Project, a non-profit organization with offices in New York and Berlin, tells iMEdD that it will take time to prove that the shift away from Islamic extremism advocated by HTS is sincere. “The group’s history is really also the current leader’s history,” says Dr. Schindler, highlighting al-Jolani’s role in the creation and development of the organization.”"