The German Federal Ministry of the Interior sees an increased risk of German Islamists traveling to the region due to the military success of Islamic rebel groups in Syria. The successes of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia’s offensive could “motivate the Islamist scene in Germany to spread HTS propaganda and attempt to travel to Syria to participate in the fighting” said an Interior Ministry spokesperson to the Funke Media Group.
The “largely positive perception” of the military successes against the Assad regime in Syria could also have a “motivating effect on potential travelers to Syria” the ministry added.
The surprising success of groups like the HTS will also be positively received in Al-Qaeda-affiliated circles and among individual sympathizers of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS). The ministry spokesperson noted, “In general, military successes – as long as they are propaganda-instrumentalized accordingly – can increase the reputation and attractiveness of jihadist groups.”
At the same time, the Interior Ministry emphasized that an “increase in the risk of jihadist actors from the HTS in Germany” is not expected in the short term. The ministry describes the HTS’s ideological orientation as “national-jihadist” and “regional-jihadist.”
The organization’s agenda and strategy focus on Syria, unlike the IS, which does not officially reject attacks in other countries. The HTS “officially rejects attacks in other countries” the ministry spokesperson told the Funke newspapers.