How Global Jihad Relocalises and Where it Leads. The Case of HTS, the Former AQ Franchise in Syria

The territories ruled by the Syrian opposition are being reorganised. leaderless revolution has given way to a seizure of power vanguardist and ideological organisations, be it PYD in northeast or HTS, former local branch AQ, Idlib. However, these organisations cannot resist regime’s military threat reconquer Turkish intervention themselves. They need manage internationalisation conflict protect themselves find space broader strategic game around Syria. This is strategy HTS. After emerging from matrix AQ's global jihad, since 2017 HTS sought ‘institutionalise’ imposing its hegemony full control institutions governance. group thus marginalised revolutionary milieu, other Islamists posed AQ supporters IS cells HTS’s domination was followed policy gradual opening mainstreamisation. had open up communities make concessions, especially religious sphere. seeking international acceptance with development partnership Turkey desires dialogue Western countries. Overall, transformed formerly salafi jihadi organisation into having new mainstream approach political Islam.