Syria’s top jihadist group hails Taliban takeover

BEIRUT: The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alliance, led by al-Qaeda’s former Syria affiliate, on Wednesday welcomed the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, saying it hoped Syria’s jihadists would also be victorious. The armed group that formally broke ties with al-Qaeda years ago is considered to be the most prominent jihadist group in Syria after a decade of war. HTS controls nearly half of the Idlib region -- the last remaining opposition bastion in Syria -- alongside other less influential groups. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan following two decades of US occupation was an example to follow. "We congratulate our Taliban brothers and our people in Afghanistan for this clear conquest, and ask God to also grant the Syrian revolution victory," it said in a statement released on its social media channels.