Fidan Admits Intelligence Cooperation with "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" in Syria
Ankara attempts to market new image of HTS, ignoring its crimes against civilians and ongoing violations in Syria
December 21, 2024, 7:50 pm

Fidan Admits Intelligence Cooperation with

الجولاني \ تعبيرية

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made controversial statements regarding Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, claiming his country has not detected any terrorist activities by the organization over the past ten years, adding: "This is not just our assessment, but also what Western intelligence agencies have concluded".

In a press interview on Saturday, Fidan addressed the reason for the organization's continued inclusion on Turkish terrorism lists, justifying it as linked to UN decisions and pointing to Ankara's commitment to Security Council resolutions, arguing that "there is now a different situation where the legal dimension conflicts with the practical dimension."

Fidan repeated claims about the organization's role in fighting other terrorist organizations, claiming that HTS "showed good cooperation especially in exchanging intelligence information related to fighting ISIS, and contributed significantly in this regard," justifying previously hiding this information "due to the sensitivity of the matter."

The Turkish minister continued: "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham has been cooperating with Turkey for years in gathering intelligence information about organizations linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda."

Regarding cooperation on specific operations like eliminating former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Fidan acknowledged the organization's cooperation with Ankara in such operations as well, according to Anadolu Agency.

Notably, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, is classified as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council and many countries, and continues to commit violations against civilians in its control areas in northern Syria, imposing hardline rule on local residents.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”