The leader of Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Ahmad al-Sharaa, commonly known as al-Julani, stated in a recent interview with the BBC English service that their governance model will differ from that of the Afghan Taliban. He emphasized that under their rule, women will have the right to work and pursue education.
In response to a BBC journalist’s question about whether HTS intends to introduce a hardline government similar to the Taliban in Afghanistan, al-Julani said:
“There are many differences between Syria and the Taliban. Our governance will differ from theirs. The new Syrian system will be built in accordance with the people’s aspirations and historical values. Women’s rights in Syria are clearly embedded in the culture and history. Under our rule, women will have the right to work and access education. When the city of Idlib was under our control, 60% of the women were engaged in higher education.”
Al-Julani’s statements have sparked widespread reactions in Afghanistan. Many Afghan citizens took to social media, pointing fingers at the Taliban leadership and urging them to learn from al-Julani’s stance.
Meanwhile, some Taliban-affiliated social media preachers posed questions to their leadership, asking:
“If women under the white flag in Syria are allowed to work and receive education, why can’t they be granted the same under the white flag in Afghanistan?”
