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Syria Live: Rebels in palaces and prisons emptied as Russia says Assad has left Syria
What’s happened so far
- *Syria rebels claim Damascus
- *Ends Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year authoritarian rule
- *Army officers and Russia say Assad fled the capital
- *Thousands celebrate “Freedom” in Damascus
- *PM says ready to cooperate with any leadership
- *Biden, Trump and UN – how the world reacted
- *Here’s a wrapup of Sunday’s fast-moving events
Who are Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, led by Abu Mohammed al-Golani
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was al Qaeda’s franchise in the Syrian civil war.
Its commander is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a previously shadowy figure who kept out of the public eye, even when his group became the most powerful faction fighting President Bashar al-Assad.
Today, he is Syria’s most recognisable insurgent, having gradually stepped into the limelight since severing ties to al Qaeda in 2016.
He rebranded his group and now emerging as a potential de facto ruler of Syria.
The transformation has been showcased since rebels led by Golani’s HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, captured Aleppo just over a week ago.
Golani featured prominently, sending messages and videos aimed at reassuring Syrian minorities who have long feared the jihadists.
“The future is ours,” he said in a statement read on Syria’s state TV, urging his fighters not to harm those who drop arms.
PR EFFORT?
“Golani has been smarter than Assad. He’s retooled, he’s refashioned, made new allies, and come out with his charm offensive” towards minorities, said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert and head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Aron Lund, a fellow at think-tank Century International, said Golani and HTS had clearly changed though still remaining “pretty hardline.”
“It’s PR, but the fact they are engaging in this effort at all shows they are no longer as rigid as they once were. Old-school al Qaeda or the Islamic State would never have done that,” he said.
DESIGNATED AS A TERRORIST BY US IN 2013
Before founding the Nusra Front, Golani had fought for al Qaeda in Iraq, where he spent five years in a U.S. prison.
He returned to Syria once the uprising began, sent by the leader of the Islamic State group in Iraq at the time – Abu Omar al-Baghdadi – to build up al Qaeda’s presence.
The United States designated Golani a terrorist in 2013, saying that al Qaeda in Iraq had tasked him with overthrowing Assad’s rule and establishing Islamic sharia law in Syria.
Turkey, the Syrian opposition’s main foreign backer, has also designated HTS as a terrorist group, while supporting some of the other factions that fight in the northwest.
RAPID EXPANSION
Golani gave his first media interview in 2013, his face wrapped in a dark scarf and showing only his back to the camera. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he called for Syria to be run according to sharia law.
Some eight years later, he sat down for an interview with the U.S. Public Broadcasting Service’s FRONTLINE programme, facing the camera and wearing a shirt and jacket.
Golani said the terrorist designation was unfair and that he opposed the killing of innocent people.
He detailed how the Nusra Front had expanded from the six men who accompanied him from Iraq to 5,000 within a year.
But he said that his group had never presented a threat to the West. “I repeat – our involvement with al Qaeda has ended, and even when we were with al Qaeda we were against carrying out operations outside of Syria, and it’s completely against our policy to carry out external action.”
MESSAGES TO MINORITIES
Golani fought a bloody war against his old ally Baghdadi after Islamic State sought to unilaterally subsume the Nusra Front in 2013. Despite its al Qaeda ties, Nusra was regarded as more tolerant and less heavy handed in dealings with civilians and other rebel groups compared to Islamic State.
Islamic State was subsequently beaten out of territory it held in both Syria and Iraq by an array of adversaries including a U.S.-led military alliance.
With the Sunni Muslim rebels now in control, the HTS administration has issued statements seeking to assure the Shi’ite Alawites and other Syrian minorities.
Lund said HTS had displayed “logistical and governance capacity” by ruling its own territory in Idlib for years.
“They have adopted the symbols of the wider Syrian uprising… which they now use and try to claim the revolutionary legacy – that ‘we are part of the movement of 2011, the people who rose up against Assad, and we are also Islamists’.”
-Reuters
African teams will battle for the remaining qualification spots for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup this weekend as the final round of qualifiers reaches its climax across the continent.
In Kampala, Ghana will attempt to protect a slender 2-1 first-leg advantage when they face Uganda’s U20 girls away from home.
Cameroon are also in a strong position ahead of their return-leg clash against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam after securing a 3-1 victory in the first meeting.
Meanwhile, Benin will fancy their chances of advancing when they host Côte d’Ivoire following a 1-1 draw in Abidjan.
Nigeria’s Falconets are equally close to qualification after earning a 2-0 first-leg victory over Malawi ahead of Saturday’s decisive encounter in Lilongwe.
The successful teams will join the global field for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next year.
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The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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By George Akpayen
The finish line is now in sight in this season’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), and much of the talk has centred on the title race and those at the other end of the table, which surprisingly include last season’s champions Remo Stars.
However, there is another race shaping up among the leading top scorers this season, and this could see as many as six or more players going head-to-head in the final six matchdays.
Top contenders in the race for the battle for the golden boot are Enugu Rangers’ striker, Godwin Obaje and Ikorodu City winger Joseph Arumala, who have scored 11 goals apiece.
On the tails of the top-two scoring individuals are Victor Mbaoma (Remo Stars), El-Kanemi Warriors midfielder Daddy Abdulrahman, Katsina United’s Uche Collins and Emeka Obioma of Abia Warriors, all on 10 goals each.
THE PERFORMANCE BREAKDOWN
Out of the top-six leading scorers, Obaje, Arumala and Mbaoma have more direct goal involvement. Obaje and Arumala have 11 goals and two assists each, while Mbaoma has 10 goals and assists from 23 appearances, which is the least number of matches featured in among the leading scorers. Mbaoma missed most of the early parts of the season due to bruised ribs.
El-Kanemi Warriors midfielder Abdulrahman has made the most appearances among the top-six scorers and has a 12-goal direct involvement (10 goals + two assists).
Obioma is however, the only top-six scorer who is yet to register an assist this season after 26 appearances for Abia Warriors.
Interestingly, Collins is the only top-six scorer who has netted a hat-trick this season so far.
THE CHASING PACK
There is also the chasing pack in the race for the Golden Boot. One of them is Plateau United winger Temitope Vincent Adebayo, who has scored nine goals. Sodiq Ibrahim (3SC), Enyimba striker Chidera Michael, and Igbunu Evwierhurhoma of Warri Wolves.
The variety of players in the chasing pack also makes the race intriguing as they have been consistent goal scorers in recent matchweeks. They are definitely breathing down the necks of the frontrunners.
There are also the outsiders in the race. Jonathan Mairiga of Wikki Tourists, Chidozie Iwundu (Rangers) and Bendel Insurance duo of Kayode Oke, 3SC’s Qamar Adegoke and Alex Oweilayefa – all on eight goals. On seven goals is Kano Pillars legend Rabiu Ali.
WORTHY MENTION
However, Iwundu deserves a big mention among the top scorers as he is the top-scoring defender. He has made 29 appearances for Rangers and has been booked three times and sent off once.
Iwundu’s goalscoring form from his centre-back role has also been important for his club in their title aspirations this season, and his team will hope his form can continue into the final six matchdays.
No doubt, there will be twists and turns for individual glory in a race that is still wide open. Fixture difficulty, favourable run-in, struggling defences and hunger in front of goal are surely going to be among the factors that would decide who wins this race in an unpredictable league. At this point, nothing is guaranteed as all top marksmen are odds-on to claim the top individual prize.
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