Mass demonstrations took place on Friday in the city of Idlib and its countryside, as well as in the countryside of Aleppo, which is under the control of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. The protesters demanded the overthrow of the group's leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.

Demonstrations spread throughout Idlib, Ariha, Jisr al-Shughur, Sarmada, Binnish, and Taftanaz, as well as in the villages and towns in the Idlib countryside. Similar demonstrations also took place in Darat Azza and Abyan in the western countryside of Aleppo.

It is worth highlighting that clerics and dissident members of the Shura Council of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham participated in the demonstrations.

The protestors reiterated their call for the overthrow of al-Jolani. Chants during the demonstrations emphasized the rejection of "the reforms announced by al-Jolani," shedding light on the crimes perpetrated against detainees in the prisons of al-Jolani and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham.

Read next: Foreign terrorist groups in Syria endorse al-Jolani amid HTS mutiny

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Syria reported demonstrations in the Syrian towns of Idlib, Salqin, Atimah, and Kfar Takharim, in addition to the villages of al-Zawiya Mountain, to demand the overthrow of the leader of the terrorist Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.

Touching on the protests, strategic affairs expert, Turki al-Hassan, told Al Mayadeen that the protesters are demonstrating against arrests carried out by al-Jolani's so-called Security Apparatus, suggesting that Turkey is backing these protests. On his part, political affairs writer, Taysir al-Khatib, indicated that Ankara finds that dialogue with Damascus is more effective and beneficial than with armed groups.

Protests against al-Jolani 

Areas in the countryside of Idlib and Western Aleppo have been witnessing daily protests for more than three weeks following the arrest of hundreds of HTS members by al-Jolani's Security Apparatus, under the pretext of their alleged collaboration with foreign parties.

The protesters are demanding the ousting of al-Jolani and the dissolution of his Security Apparatus due to the arrests and enforced disappearances of thousands, as well as the imposition of additional taxes, which has tightened the noose around the locals and deprived them of basic life necessities.