DAMASCUS, Syria – The Islamist insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) introduced on Sunday the autumn of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, marking the “starting of a brand new period” after its forces captured Damascus. With the world carefully monitoring the state of affairs, consideration is now centered on HTS chief Abu Mohammad al-Julani, a former affiliate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the late chief of ISIS.
HTS, previously generally known as the Nusra Entrance and as soon as affiliated with Al-Qaida, spearheaded a swift offensive beginning November 27. The group captured key cities, together with Aleppo and Hama, earlier than storming Damascus. Conflicting stories have since emerged concerning the whereabouts of Assad, with hypothesis suggesting he has left the nation after negotiating a peaceable switch of energy.
Who Is Abu Mohammad al-Julani?
Born Ahmed Hussein Al-Shara, Julani, also called Abu Mohammad al-Golani, has a $10 million bounty on his head beneath the U.S. Division of State’s Rewards for Justice program. Designated a “Specifically Designated World Terrorist” in 2013, Julani’s rise started beneath the steering of Baghdadi, who instructed him to ascertain a entrance for Al-Qaida in Syria. The Nusra Entrance, armed with manpower, weapons, and funds from Al-Qaida in Iraq, vowed to overthrow Assad as early as 2012.
Over time, Julani’s group advanced, rebranding itself from the Nusra Entrance to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and finally Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in 2017. Regardless of severing ties with Al-Qaida, HTS remained controversial, with analysts pointing to its ideological alignment with jihadism and historical past of violence.
Native media stories recommend that HTS has regained prominence after a five-year lull, navigating important regional and worldwide shifts, together with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine warfare, and altering dynamics in Idlib. The group consolidated energy within the area beneath the ‘Salvation Authorities,’ its administrative and political arm in Idlib.
In keeping with Lebanon’s Al-Manar, HTS has adopted a technique of “jihadism in methodology and nationalism in geography,” balancing its hardline roots with a give attention to localized governance. Nonetheless, this resurgence has drawn criticism, with some analysts warning that celebrating Assad’s downfall inadvertently empowers teams with ties to ISIS and Al-Qaida.
Russia, a key ally of the Assad regime, has positioned its army bases in Syria on “excessive alert” whereas expressing deep concern over the unfolding occasions. In a press release, the Russian International Ministry confirmed Assad’s departure and referred to as for a peaceable decision to the disaster.
“Because of negotiations between Bashar al-Assad and a variety of members within the armed battle, he determined to depart the presidential publish and left the nation, giving directions to switch energy peacefully,” the ministry acknowledged. It emphasised the necessity for all events to resign violence and pursue political options.
The autumn of Assad marks a pivotal second in Syria’s historical past, ending many years of autocratic rule. Nonetheless, it raises recent issues concerning the future stability of the area, notably with HTS—a bunch designated as a terrorist group by the U.S.—assuming a central position.
Because the mud settles, the worldwide neighborhood faces a dilemma: the right way to handle the rise of HTS whereas navigating Syria’s advanced political panorama. The subsequent strikes by Julani and his faction will seemingly form the trajectory of the area within the coming months.
