The text written in white on these flags is called the Shahada or the Islamic declaration of faith in one God and His messenger. In English, the sentence translates to: "There is no god other than ...

also flew a flag of its own -- a black flag inscribed with the Islamic shahada, or profession of faith. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which spearheaded the offensive launched on November 27 that ...