The tyrant Bashar's regime carried out many attempts and was successful in neutralizing battle zones that were a cause of concern depleting his forces and forming a threat, this was by way of holding truce treaties and deals with these areas, so that he can be freed to gather his forces towards other fronts. These areas became a barrier that protects him and allows him to pass through them to other areas. These truces led to many prohibitions including:

- Truce is an implicit recognition of the regime of which the revolution erupted to overthrow it, and this is what gives it legitimacy.

- It divides the Mujahideen into supporters and opposition, and therefore weakens their ranks.

- This frees the forces of the criminal regime to control other areas and easily achieve victories.

- It weakens the fighting spirit among other areas and prepares people to accept similar treaties or to withdraw from the areas.

These withdrawals announced by several battalions and brigades from the coastal front and from Kassab region are only a crown added to the pain that surprised the Muslims; rather it stunned them. It was announced that the reason for the withdrawal is the halt of the support and supply of money and weapons, and this is what we warned of again and again of the dangers of dependence on dirty political money which opens and closes in the time and place at the benefit of the driving forces and not for the benefit of the fronts and the revolution in the blessed Ash-Sham.

We warn our Mujahideen brothers from falling into this fatal trap, and remind them of the saying of Allah (swt):

((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]

We urge them to be patient and stand firm, and we remind them of the saying of the honorable Prophet (saw): «إنما النصر صبر ساعة» "Indeed, victory is the patience of an hour."

We assure everyone that the tyrant does not commit to a contract or treaty, and he will return to control the areas in truce with him as soon he is able to do so. Then everyone will pay the price. Allah (swt) says:

((كَيْفَ وَإِنْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا فِيكُمْ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً يُرْضُونَكُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَى قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ))

"How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient" [At-Tawba: 8]
O Muslim in the land of Ash-Sham the abode of Islam,

Be patient and stand firm upon what Allah (swt) has inflicted upon you, you are the ones who said: "Death is better than lowliness", "Death but not Humiliation", and "We will only bow down to Allah". Allah (swt) says:

((وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ))

"So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers" [Ali-Imran: 139]

You are the people of the revolution and the people of Islam, you are the inheritors of the noble Companions who opened the land and made you responsible for it. Your Lord promised to support you if you support Him. His Support is not by submission to the criminal after all of the sacrifices and destruction. It is by the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate" Ar-Rashida that Allah (swt) has promised through the Prophecy of His Messenger (saw) when he said,

«ثم تكون خلافة على منهاج النبوة»

"Then there will be Khilafah "Caliphate" upon the Method of the Prophethood"

It will come after this oppressive rule that we suffer its burden, and we are about to get rid of its evil. Allah (swt) says:

((وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ))

"And say, "Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."" [At-Tawba: 105]

Hisham Al-Baba
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
Wilayah of Syria