Over the course of 21 months, the features of the new Syrian army have taken shape, and it is now undeniable that the Salafi-jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is relying on selecting individuals based on their Sunni-Salafist Muslim background.
The new job applications at the Ministry of Defense institutions include mandatory questions- with red star- such as:
★ How many verses of the Quran have you memorized?
This question effectively excludes all non-Muslims from applying for positions and joining the army.
Another questions asks:
★ Which mosques do you belong to? & ★ Names of the mosque scholars whose lectures you attend regularly.
This question is directed at Sunnis themselves – given the existence of several Sunni currents in Syria, including Ash’ari, Sufi, and Salafi – and HTS is deliberately excluding non-Salafists from joining the army.
And here lies the great danger – the features of the Syrian army that is being created – are a Salafist army with a jihadist ideology that will pose a real danger to the entire Middle East – and will increase the tension with Israel, thus preventing stability in Syria and the entire region.
This is in addition to the regular Islamic religious guidance sessions led by Salafist sheikhs, which are specifically designed for members of the army.
[Image caption: from one of these sessions, which includes a Salafist lecture, at a Syrian military unit.
