February 18, 2020 "Information Clearing House" - The New York Times continues its lengthy tradition of covering the story of Idlib as if it were one only of a humanitarian crisis brought about by the Syrian government (which they call a “regime”), and its allies. In yet another lengthy, expensive, lavishly illustrated story about Idlib, the NYT once again failed to make any mention of the politics of what is happening in that enclave of northwestern Syria– namely, the fact that well-armed jihadist/takfiri fighters from all around the world have controlled it for the past several years, while Syria’s government forces have been battling to regain control.

In that latest article, as in all of the lengthy, one-sided tearjerkers it has published about Idlib over the past year, the NYT has no actual journalists or photographers on the ground reporting the story. It is wholly reliant instead  on “stories” and footage it gathers from unverifiable sources inside the enclave– sources who notably never include any mention of the jihadi armed groups that control all aspects of life there.

For those who want to understand the politics of the situation in Idlib, I heartily recommend this well-informed article by Turkish journalist Fehim Tastekin. Turkey, of course, is a key actor regarding Idlib since it totally controls all passage of people, arms, and other goods in and and out of the enclave.

Tastekin writes this about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the jihadi group that exerts the greatest amount of control within Idlib:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has lost nothing of its jihadi core that seeks a state based on Sharia law. Moreover, since the Sochi deal between Turkey and Russia, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has come to control 90% of Idlib, displacing factions that Ankara had incorporated into the Astana process. The group will not lose its jihadi character even if it rebrands itself again… Even some of the groups treated as more reasonable because of Turkey’s support have adopted the Islamic State flag as a symbol on their arm badges.