Ahmed al-Sharaa denies that he wanted to turn Syria into version of Afghanistan

The de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in an interview with the BBC, denied that he wanted to turn Syria into a version of Afghanistan, Report informs.

Sharaa said the countries were very different, with different traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society. In Syria, he said, there was a different mindset.

He said he believed in education for women.

"We've had universities in Idlib for more than eight years," Sharaa said, referring to Syria's north-western province that has been held by rebels since 2011.