The Rise of the Syrian Resistance: Confronting HTS Terrorism, Zionist Occupation, and the Destruction of Syria’s Sovereignty
The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria
The Bronx Anti-War Coalition salutes the emergence of the Syrian Popular Resistance (SPR) as a unifying force against the twin evils of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorism and Zionist expansionism. Composed of Syrians from all sects and ethnicities, the SPR represents the hope of a liberated Syria, standing against sectarian oppression, imperialist domination, and the betrayal of the nation by the new HTS regime. This resistance is not just a military struggle but a moral battle to restore justice, unity, and sovereignty to Syria.
In the SPR’s own words, they declared:
“This operation was a direct retaliation for the ongoing massacres committed by terrorist gangs in Hama, Homs, Latakia, and Sweida—especially the Arza massacre. Those who spill the blood of innocents will face nothing but just retribution. The operations will continue. The ambushes will persist. And what is yet to come is even greater.”
The SPR's emergence signals a growing rejection of HTS’s barbaric rule and the Zionist exploitation of Syria’s chaos. Syria, long a beacon of resistance and diversity in West Asia, is now fighting for survival against the betrayal of extremist rulers and foreign occupiers. The Syrian Popular Resistance offers hope in the face of these injustices.
The Syrian Resistance: A United Front for Liberation
The Syrian Popular Resistance (SPR) is a multi-sectarian and multi-ethnic movement representing the true will of the Syrian people. From Alawites, Shias, and Christians to Sunnis and Druze, Syrians have joined forces under the SPR banner to resist both HTS terrorism and Zionist aggression.
The SPR has already carried out effective operations against both HTS and Zionist forces. On January 31, 2025, SPR fighters ambushed an HTS military convoy on the M4 highway near Latakia, killing and wounding several militants. The same day, a newly formed Syrian resistance faction calling itself the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria (IRFS) launched an attack on Israeli occupation forces near Taranja in Quneitra, forcing them to retreat. These operations demonstrate the resistance’s dual commitment to fighting HTS terrorism and expelling Zionist occupiers from Syrian land.
In their own words, the SPR stated:
“We will not allow Zionist occupiers or HTS to occupy our land. The resistance will continue.”
Despite a media blackout imposed by Western and Gulf-controlled outlets, the SPR continues to expose the crimes of HTS and their collaborators. In their statement, they said:
“Since the beginning of the Syrian Popular Resistance operations, it has been subjected to a suffocating media blockade, not because its voice is weak or because it lacks effective military action, but because it speaks the truth. And the truth today is the number one enemy of the media directed by the West, the Zionists, and their agents in the Gulf.”
Why the Resistance Rose: The Coup, HTS Terrorism, and Zionist Occupation
The Syrian Popular Resistance emerged as a direct response to the December 2024 coup that toppled Syria’s government and installed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as the ruling regime. With the backing of the U.S., Turkey, and Gulf States, this coup empowered a terrorist faction led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (better known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani), a former Al-Qaeda deputy and ISIS operative.
HTS’s rise to power has unleashed a wave of terror and lawlessness across Syria. In January 2025 alone, over 210 civilians were executed in Hama and Homs, including gruesome killings in the Shia-majority village of Arza. Survivors report that coexistence has become “impossible without displacement” as HTS-backed factions openly call for the removal of minorities from their homes.
In Maaloula, the ancient Christian town where Aramaic is still spoken, HTS violence has reduced the population from 1,000 to just 200. Churches have been destroyed, and Christmas trees burned in public squares. Videos have circulated of Alawites being tortured, humiliated, and forced to bark like dogs.
HTS’s sectarian violence is not limited to killings. Civilians are subjected to torture and public humiliation. In Latakia, HTS militants dragged a man’s body through the streets while cheering crowds celebrated. In Homs, sectarian arrests, torture, and executions have become routine.
HTS’s atrocities are not isolated incidents. They reflect a systematic campaign of sectarian cleansing rooted in Takfiri ideology imported from Wahhabi Gulf States. Jolani himself has justified the violence as “legitimate revenge,” revealing his willingness to plunge Syria into further chaos.
Meanwhile, the Zionist entity has taken advantage of Syria’s collapse to expand its occupation of Syrian territory. Israeli forces have seized Mount Hermon and other strategic areas in the Golan Heights, capturing 30% of Syria’s water resources and leaving the country defenseless against foreign incursions. The Zionist entity’s actions align with its long-standing “Greater Israel” agenda, which seeks to annex Syrian and Lebanese territory under the guise of “security.”
HTS: A Regime of Terrorists and Foreign Puppets
HTS’s so-called “government” is a junta of former Al-Qaeda operatives, foreign mercenaries, and war criminals. Its leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, is a former deputy to ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the founder of the Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria. Under his leadership, HTS has massacred civilians, destroyed religious sites, and transformed Syria into a haven for extremist factions.
HTS’s regime includes figures like:
- Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, responsible for over 150 executions of Shias, Christians, and atheists, as well as cases of rape and stoning.
- Justice Minister Shadi Mohammad al-Waisi, who oversaw public executions of women accused of adultery during his time as a Nusra Front judge.
- Brigadier-General Abdulaziz Dawood Khudaberdi, a Chinese Uyghur militant from the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), who was granted a leadership position in the new Syrian Armed Forces.
HTS’s army includes foreign fighters from the Turkistan Islamic Party, Uyghur militants, and other extremist factions. These mercenaries, many of whom have ties to international terrorist organizations, now hold high-ranking positions in Syria’s military.
Under HTS rule, Syria has not only lost its sovereignty but also its identity. The regime has banned all political parties, dissolved the Baath Party, and suspended the constitution. It has turned Syria into a capitalist vassal state serving Western and Gulf interests, while collaborating with the Zionist entity to normalize relations at the expense of Palestinian resistance and Syrian independence.
The Destruction of Syria’s Socialist Legacy and Neoliberal Exploitation
Before the war, Syria was a socialist state with no foreign debt and a self-sufficient economy. The government provided subsidies for bread, fuel, and housing, ensuring that basic necessities were accessible to all. Public housing was often paid for in cash, allowing Syrians to avoid the burden of debt.
HTS has dismantled this socialist foundation, replacing it with neoliberal austerity. Subsidies for bread, fuel, and electricity have been slashed, and public housing privatized, turning basic necessities into debt traps. Dubai-based firms and Western corporations now dominate Syria’s economy, profiting from IMF-directed “reconstruction” deals that commodify Syria’s infrastructure and resources.
HTS leaders have openly embraced neoliberal capitalism. Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al Shibani lobbied for foreign investment at Davos, meeting with figures like Tony Blair. Shibani declared that Syria should emulate Saudi Arabia’s monarchy, prioritizing corporate profits over the needs of its people.
Under HTS, Syria is being transformed into a capitalist debt society, where foreign corporations exploit the suffering of the Syrian people. This betrayal of Syria’s socialist legacy has plunged 90% of the population into poverty.
Faith in the Resistance: Syria’s Path to Liberation
We place no faith in Western institutions to prosecute the terrorists they created and supported. The U.S., Israel, and their allies will never hold HTS accountable because HTS serves their imperialist interests. Instead, we place our faith in the Syrian people and their resistance.
The Syrian Popular Resistance represents the hope of a liberated Syria—one that refuses to bow to imperialism, sectarianism, and Zionism. The U.S. and Zionist regime, which have invaded and occupied Syrian land, will one day be forced to retreat in the face of the power of devout Syrian youth. The brave Syrian resistance fighters will trample foreign military bases and liberate their homeland from occupation and exploitation.
Syria will rise again as a sovereign nation, capable of supporting the Axis of Resistance and standing against imperialism and Zionism. The territories seized by foreign powers will be liberated, and the Syrian people will rebuild their country as a beacon of resistance, justice, and unity.
The worst crime of HTS and its backers is not merely their brutal sectarian killings or their embrace of neoliberalism. It is the unforgivable hypocrisy of hiding behind Islam while serving the interests of the U.S. and Zionist entities. The Syrian people will rise above this betrayal, and the resistance will prevail.
Have no doubt: The Resistance will prevail.
