Press Release
The Massacre of the Town of Sarja in Jabal al-Zawiya is a Link in a Series of Crimes to Abort the Revolution of Ash-Sham
(Translated)

Five civilians, including two children and a woman, were martyred in the town of Sarja in Jabal Al-Zawiya on Saturday morning, 17/7/2021, as a result of artillery shelling by the forces of the tyrant of Ash-Sham and the militias loyal to him, that targeted civilian homes.

Local sources stated that after the first targeting and the moment of arrival of the civil defense teams to rescue the victims, the criminal regime forces targeted the site again, which led to the injury of three members of the rescue team, one of whom is in critical condition.

Two days before this bombing, the city of Afrin was targeted by missile strikes by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the center of the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo. A man and a child were killed, and other civilians were wounded.

On the same day, the village of Foua in Idlib countryside witnessed a massacre carried out by the forces of the tyrant of Ash-Sham, which resulted in the death of six martyrs and many wounded, as a result of targeting the vicinity of the village with artillery shells, according to what Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported in Idlib.

Not to mention the artillery shelling that targeted Shifa Hospital in Afrin city on Saturday, 12/6/2021, as a result of which at least thirteen people were killed, including 11 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights’ report, and it is worth noting that these massacres took place after the agreement that took place between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, in which he stressed that his country "will continue to work with Russia to maintain calm on the ground for the political process." He also talked about the continuation of the Astana agreement, pointing out that there is a consensus between Moscow and Ankara on the continuation of the cease-fire in Syria. (Al-Quds Arabi)

O Muslims in Ash-Sham, the Abode of Islam:

The massacre of the town of Sarja in Jabal al-Zawiya is the tip of the iceberg of massacres committed by the criminal regime, along with the Russian regime, which is spiteful against Islam and its people, and it is a link in the chain of crimes that are added to the previous massacres to abort the Revolution of Ash-Sham.

Scattered massacres sponsored by the United Nations behind which is an American green light, amid an outrageous international silence; and apparent negligence of the leaders of the factions that took the position of a vase [i.e. clueless] on both sides of the so-called liberated areas, as if the matter did not concern them; as if those who are killed are not Muslims; as if their blood is not infallible and does not require serious action or support! Instead of the factional system mobilizing its forces to stop the waterfall of blood that is constantly flowing, and to support the people of Ash-Sham and deter the tyrant of Ash-Sham and to topple him, its forces mobilized and marched its rows to arrest anyone who objects to its policies, even if it was an unarmed individual or a doctor who sacrificed dearly for the revolution of the people of Ash-Sham, and to liquidate the “migrants” file; those who left their homes, their families and their money and came to support the people of Ash-Sham, this file that paves the way for the demilitarized zone, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about in his meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

O Muslims in the Land of Ash-Sham, the Abode of Islam:

The sin of shedding this pure blood continuously, is on the necks of those who are silent about the injustice of the associated leaders; which compromised with the criminal regime and intimidated the people of Ash-Sham, tried to take away their authority and decision and withdraw the elements of strength and steadfastness within them, to bring them to the stage of despair and surrender. It partnered with it in order to achieve that, the functional governments that excelled in methods of systematic torment, by imposing taxes, royalties and excises on people, raising prices and monopolizing goods and services, not to mention repression, authoritarianism, and applying a gag-policy.

To remain silent about what is happening in terms of criminality and inaction; and about the concessions that have been presented, will only lead us to make more concessions that will not end; except with more humiliation. And it will only present us with a life of slavery that the people of Ash-Sham rebelled against, and wanted to get rid of it and overthrow its tyrants who set themselves as gods who no one has the right to question what they are doing, and its pharaohs who no one can see except what they see!

Following the silent approach in exchange for a few morsels of food, that do not give energy to the children of the people of Ash-Sham, or for a relief basket that neither nourishes nor avails against hunger, is an approach that we suffer its consequences and live with every day. Not remaining silent and speaking the word of truth no matter the cost, is considered one of the best jihad in the sight of Allah (swt). The Messenger of Allah (saw), said:

«أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ أَوْ أَمِيرٍ جَائِرٍ»

“The best jihad is a word of justice in the presence of a tyrannical sultan or an unjust ruler.” Narrated by Abu Dawood in his Musnad, the one who dies while speaking the word of truth is not a mere martyr, rather he is the master of martyrs. The Messenger of Allah (saw), said:

«سَيِّدُ الشُّهَدَاءِ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَامَ إِلَى إِمَامٍ جَائِرٍ فَأَمَرَهُ وَنَهَاهُ فَقَتَلَهُ»

“The master of martyrs is Hamza Bin Abd Al-Muttalib, and a man who stood up to a tyrannical imam, and he commanded and forbade him, so he killed him.” [Narrated by Al-Hakim].

So correct your path, restore your usurped authority, take back your confiscated decision, and work with the workers to establish the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly-guided Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood, for in that is prosperity in this world and the Hereafter.

[وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ]

“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allah any protectors; then you would not be helped” [Hud: 113]

Ahmad Abdul Wahhab
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Syria