Murder in HTS Territory Raises Tensions to an all Time High

• OGN News
• May 28, 2024
• 26 Comments

On May 27, 2024, a murder occurred in Jisr al-Shughur in the Idlib countryside. The victim was Abu Omar Mustafa Sio whom was working in the ranks of the Ministry of the Interior of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. He was stabbed several times with a knife, which led to his immediate death. The case was registered against an unknown person, and the killer has not been found yet. However given the politically charged atmosphere in HTS controlled territories, coupled with the extreme dislike festering in the hearts of protesters, adding into that mix the fact that HTS leader Jolani’s wants, actually NEEDS, to end the protests quickly to secure his survival, could result in a toxic mix that will explode sooner rather than later.

Hence the question: Is the killing of “Abu Omar Mustafa Sio” in the city of Jisr al-Shughur among the cards that Julani said he was able to end the movement with?

Here are several questions that are very helpful in knowing the truth:

1- What was Abu Omar’s “political” orientation? A number of sources told us that he was opposed to the work of the security forces and was calling for calm.

2- Why did the Commission immediately and without evidence accuse that the opposition movement was the reason for doing so, even though the murdered person specifically was calling for calm and did not harm the movement?

3-There are a large number of cameras located close to the crime scene where are the recordings?

4- There was a large deployment of security forces and the tightening of surveillance and security cordon in Jisr al-Shughur area at the time of the incident and before it. 

Did the HTS took advantage of the killing of Abu Omar to make a decision to stop the demonstrations by force in preparation for future killings and arrests, or was it them who killed him in order to save themselves from falling?

Al-Julani, the leader of the HTS, stated a few days ago that he had fifty cards, and he only used the language of dialogue.

What did he mean by the fact that we have used the language of dialogue until now, and was this evidence of the use of force?

Is this step considered one of the cards he mentioned to end the demonstrations?

🖋 Sayed Omar