Assad’s departure is raising alarms in Beijing due to credible reports of the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) fighting alongside HTS. TIP, also known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), is a Uyghur separatist group originating in China’s Xinjiang province, with ties to al-Qaeda. It seeks to establish an independent Islamic state called East Turkestan. Designated a terrorist organization by China and the UN, TIP has operated in Afghanistan and Pakistan but saw its influence decline recently due to Chinese pressure. Its resurgence in Syria signals potential regional and global ramifications for China’s security interests. More here…
