"Cultural Jihad": The Threat of "Neo-Jihadism" in Syria

Analysts warn of a new, more dangerous ideological direction in Syria, "neo-jihadism," inaugurated by Ahmed al-Sara.

According to Egyptian analyst Dalia Ziada, neo-jihadism combines elements of political Islamism, violent Salafist jihadism, and authoritarian socialism. Flexibility and the exploitation of "social justice" rhetoric are key features.

Al-Sara's path from the Assad regime to the creation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has established him as a leader of this hybrid strategy.

The geopolitical consequence is that Syria is turning into a field of confrontation between different forms of Islamism, with neo-jihadism dominating as a new model. Its practices, such as the naturalization of foreign jihadists and attacks on minorities, reveal the consolidation of a new authoritarian regime.

The term "cultural jihad" originates from the “Holy Land Foundation trial” in the USA, where a long-term strategy of undermining the West through social, cultural, and political methods was mentioned.