Religious division within Syrian Transitional Govt. over joining international coalition

Mahmoud al-Jaber (Abo Malik), the so-called mufti of Azaz city in the northern countryside of Aleppo occupied by Turkey and its mercenaries, sparked widespread controversy after announcing his rejection of the Syrian Transitional Government's participation in the international coalition against ISIS, deeming this decision a violation of previously issued religious edicts.

In a video posted on virtual media, al-Jaber cited a fatwa issued by the current mufti of the Transitional Government, Osama al-Rifai, which prohibited participation in the same coalition, expressing his displeasure with attempts by some parties to justify this shift in the name of "Allegiance and exemption" or under the pressure of political necessities.

This objection reflects the widening gap between religious figures within the Transitional Government and those in the Syrian territories occupied by Turkey and its mercenaries. It also highlights the growing conflict over the legitimacy of religious and political orientations, particularly as some parties attempt to legitimize the decision of the government, formed by Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, to join the international coalition against ISIS, despite the fact that its head, Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abo Mohamed al-Julani), was previously one of the most prominent leaders of ISIS and al-Nusra, groups that fought against this coalition.

This controversy reveals the extent of the contradictions within the religious structure of the Transitional Government and those aligned with its supporters (Turkey), as well as attempts to reshape religious positions to align with current political shifts.