Taliban & Hamas 'Congratulate' Syrian People & Julani After Assad Fall

The hardline and extremist Islamic groups Hamas and the Taliban have been among the first regional entities to offer congratulations to the Islamist-led 'rebels' and the Syrian people after the overthrow of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Afghanistan's Taliban government announced the following on Sunday soon after al-Qaeda spinoff Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) gained control of the presidential palace and government ministries and state media stations in Damascus:

"We express hope that the process of power transition be carried out in a manner aligned with the aspirations of the Syrian people, paving path for the establishment of an independent and service-oriented Islamic government," a foreign ministry statement said, calling for Syria to be able to "move forward free from external interference".

Hamas in Gaza had a similar message, praising the Syrian people for achieving their "aspirations for freedom and justice" after the Syrian Army collapsed and Assad fled the country.

In Hamas' first public statement on the Syria crisis, the group said: "We stand strongly with the great people of Syria […] and respect the will, the independence and the political choices of the people of Syria."

Hamas further expressed hope that post-Assad Syria will continue "its historical and pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian people."

The head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Al-Nakhala, also issued a congratulations, offering similar words. All of the aforementioned groups are considered terrorists by Washington and many governments around the world.

But in the case of HTS which now rules Damascus and much of the major cities in Syria, Washington and London are reportedly mulling whether to drop the formal terror listing.

The Israeli government has issued a warning to HTS and the jihadist factions in Damascus, saying that they will go the way of Assad if they threaten Israel. IDF tanks are meanwhile just about 25km to the south of Damascus, after moving in the country ostensibly to secure a 'buffer zone'.

The groups now in control of Syria have an ideology no different than the Taliban's, and in many cases are even more extreme...

The head of HTS and new ruler of Damascus, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, had in his 'victory' speech from Umayyad Mosque praised the "heroic mujahideen". Julani said, "Today, Syria is purified, thanks to God almighty... Thanks to God almighty, then thanks to the heroic mujahideen." 

He and his fighters have long been on record as seeking to establish an 'Islamic State' and governance based on Sharia law. The Assad government had represented the last secular state in the Middle East, belonging to the Baath party.