Syria's de facto leader says the country is not a threat to its neighbours or the west
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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Jackie Leonard and in the early hours of Thursday, the 19th of December, these are our main stories. Syria's new de facto leader has told the BBC that the country is exhausted by war and poses no threat to Western countries or its neighbours. An out-of-control Indian Navy vessel has collided with a passenger ferry off the coast of Mumbai, killing at least 13 people. And police in Liberia are investigating a fire that has destroyed much of the country's parliament. Also in this podcast, what's believed to be the earliest recording of a country song.
Records of this type, these are unicorns. They're reputed to exist, but they've never been seen.
The de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharra, says his country is exhausted by war and is not a threat to its neighbours or the West. In an interview with the BBC in Damascus, he called for sanctions on Syria to be lifted. Al-Sharah, who has now discarded his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jalani, led the lightning offensive that toppled the Assad regime less than two weeks ago. He is the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, also known as HTS, the dominant group in the rebel alliance. He said HTS should be delisted as a terrorist organisation. It is designated as one by the UN, the US, EU and UK, among many others. It started as a splinter group of al-Qaeda, from which it broke away in 2016.
In the Syrian capital Damascus, our international editor Jeremy Bowen met Ahmed al-Sharra, who was relaxed during the interview and was wearing civilian clothes. This is his report.
The de facto leader of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharra, chose to do the interview in the presidential palace built by the Assad's. He told me he wasn't surprised that the old regime collapsed so quickly. Syrians, he said, needed to keep calm to tackle all the problems they face. You've made a lot of promises. You've said that you'll respect the mosaic of different sectarian groups here in Syria, minorities as well. Are you going to keep those promises?
The Syrian population has lived together for thousands of years. We're going to discuss all of it. We're going to have dialogue and make sure everyone is represented. The old regime always played on sectarian divisions, but we won't. We were welcomed in all the big cities by all the sects. I think the revolution can contain everybody.
So this isn't going to be some kind of a caliphate or you're not going to make Syria into a country like Afghanistan because you know that there are people who say that maybe you want to behave like the Taliban.
There are many differences between Syria and the Taliban. The way we govern is different. Afghanistan is a tribal community. Syria is completely different. The people just don't think in the same way. The Syrian government and the ruling system will be in line with Syria's history and culture.
So the culture of Syria includes rights for women, it includes education for women, it includes tolerance for people drinking alcohol. Is that all acceptable to you?
When it comes to women's education, of course. We've had universities in Idlib for more than eight years. I think the percentage of women in universities is more than 60%.
And alcohol.
There are many things I just don't have the right to talk about because they are legal issues. There will be a Syrian committee of legal experts to write a constitution. They will decide. And any ruler or president will have to follow the law.
Let's talk about wider issues that you face. First of all, this country is broken. There is massive amount of destruction. The economy is destroyed. There are huge debts. How do you begin to start dealing with all of that when the country is under sanctions and when major powers around the world and the United Nations say that you are the leader of a terrorist group? That's a political classification.
We haven't committed any crimes that justify calling us a terrorist group. In the last 14 years, we haven't targeted any civilians or civilian areas or civilian targets. I understand some countries will be worried by that designation, but it's not true. Now, after all that has happened, sanctions must be lifted because they were targeted at the old regime.
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Speakers
26 identified
Jackie Leonard 7 min
Jeremy Bowen 4 min
Pallab Ghosh 2 min
Hugo Bashega 2 min
Janhavi Mule 2 min
Joe Tidy 2 min
Ahmed al-Sharra 1 min
Chris Ewokor 1 min
Richard Martin 1 min
Erika Benke 1 min
Miranda 1 min
Podcast Narrator 1 min
Unidentified Expert 1 min
Johan Ekonen 1 min
Friar Fadi Azar 1 min
Auli
Dr. Hamza Al-Murawah
Santa Claus
Will Ross
Unidentified Reporter
Fuad Saidissa
Unidentified Interviewer
Tim Franks
John Levin
Leonardo Rocha
Unidentified Witness