Press Release

Explicit Involvement in the International Coalition to Combat "Terrorism"

A Rejection of Principles and a Dangerous Slide Towards the Abyss

Syrian Information Minister Hamza Al-Mustafa affirmed "Syria's recent signing of a political cooperation declaration with the international coalition to defeat ISIS," and that "Syria is a partner in the fight against terrorism," adding, "President Trump praised Syria's transformation and expressed his support for a possible security arrangement with (Israel)." Meanwhile, Trump told reporters after meeting with the Syrian President for the transitional phase, Ahmed Al-Shara', at the White House, that he was in agreement with Al-Shara', and that he was confident and certain that he would be able to carry out his duties and work successfully, and the US State Department praised last Friday what it described as "remarkable progress" in the behavior of the new Syrian leadership.

The US envoy to Syria, Tom Brack, had announced that President Ahmed Al-Shara' would sign a partnership document during his visit that would place Syria within this international coalition led by the United States, while commenting on Trump's meeting with Al-Shara', he said: "Syria was the problem and today Syria has become a key partner for us... The Syrian government is a key partner in the war against "the Islamic State" and the war on "terrorism"... Syria, which was a source of terrorism, is today a partner in combating it." The Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department stated: "Syria has transformed from a state that was an agent of the Iranian regime to a state that is now cooperating with us in combating terrorism."

Meanwhile, a report by the Middle East Institute, quoting a source in the General Security Directorate, stated that "the recent coordination between Damascus and the coalition leadership included multiple operational agreements, most notably: the exchange of intelligence information between the reconnaissance unit in the Ministry of Interior and the operations rooms of the international coalition, paving the way for the establishment of more institutional and sustainable security cooperation channels."

One of the most important principles of the Sham revolution, which sacrificed two million martyrs, was liberation from the control of Western countries and ending their influence. No sooner had Allah honored us by overthrowing the defunct regime, than dealing with America and the West and opening up to them, in the view of the Syrian administration for the transitional phase, became the only source of security, safety, peace, progress, and economic prosperity! Rather, the media focuses on the capitalist economic aspect, far from the controls, rulings, and conditions of Islam, especially in the economy and in dealing with the states of disbelief, especially those at war with it, headed by America, whose weapons drip with our blood in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, and even in Syria, where it supported the defunct regime for 14 years with all the necessities of life to quell the Sham revolution and return its people to the embrace of the executioner.

Then, linking the dire economic situation to the satisfaction of the West and the lifting of sanctions involves manipulation and deception in order to divert people's minds from the eternal Quranic truth that the cause of misery and wretchedness is the exclusion of Allah's law from governance, life, and the state. Allah Almighty says in Surah Taha: ﴿Then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer. And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.﴾.

What is even more outrageous is justifying this dangerous slide by achieving potential political, economic, and security gains under the pretext of bringing benefits and warding off harms, with a misguided understanding of the basics of our religion and the mechanism of dealing with countries in foreign policy.

It is strange and astonishing that the position on the international coalition has shifted from a "crusader coalition" fighting Islam to an ally and partner in "combating extremism and terrorism," which the pillars of disbelief only mean by it war on Islam and fighting its return to governance represented by a state. So where are the concepts and slogans of loyalty and disavowal that those who reached power carried?! Have they not heard the saying of Allah Almighty: ﴿Said (Moses): "It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, so that He may see how you act."﴾! Or were these slogans a ladder to reach until, when it was what it was, it became a distant memory?!

Allah Almighty says in the Wise Quran: ﴿Neither those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture nor the polytheists wish that any good should come down to you from your Lord. But Allah selects for His mercy whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.﴾.

So, do we believe Trump, the head of disbelief, America, and the spearhead in the war on Islam and with him the entire West, or do we believe the words of the One, the Subduer, whose presence brought us victorious to Damascus?!

And where do we go with the saying of Allah Almighty: ﴿Never will the Jews or the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the (only) guidance." And if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper.﴾?!

The Western countries as a whole have linked the file of lifting sanctions on Syria with clear and blatant conditions, at the forefront of which is the cooperation of the new administration in the "combating extremism and terrorism" file, and this has become clear to every person of sight and insight from the Islamic nation.

The declaration of explicit involvement with America in this hateful "crusader" alliance is a dangerous trap and a widespread evil that will not only affect the current administration, but will also be reflected on everyone who approves it or remains silent about it and overlooks its effects and results, the clearest of which is the prosecution of everyone who carries the slogan of Islam as a way of life, whether from the people of the country or from those who came to support them from the sons of the Islamic nation, and "ISIS" is only a pretext to mislead public opinion to accept joining this alliance, in addition to the political and economic dependence and the imposition of political agendas that affect internal files, such as the restructuring of security agencies according to American desires, where the Americans want these agencies to be their tools and internal eyes that they use to serve their plans as they wish, that this involvement will cause.

We are today on the land of Sham at a crossroads; either we return to our religion, the guidance of our Lord, and the path of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and declare complete disavowal of everything that angers Him Almighty, or we run after the mirage of America's satisfaction to fall into Allah's wrath and the great sacrifices and pure blood that watered the soil of Sham go down the drain, so which of the two paths should the sons of Islam choose on the land of Sham?! It is worthy of the sons of the Sham revolution and the people of sacrifices to be on the covenant to declare their adherence to the principles of their religion and their revolution, at the forefront of which is the implementation of Islam through the state of Islam to achieve the glad tidings of the Prophet ﷺ and his saying: «Verily, the heartland of the believers is Ash-Sham», before we all regret it at a time when weeping or wailing will not help, and Allah is the one whose help is sought, and there is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Exalted, the Magnificent.

The Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir

In the Wilayah of Syria