HTS Leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Takes Power in Syria After Assad's Fall

Dec 8, 2024, 01:07 PM

Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the former commander of Al-Qaeda and current leader of the Syrian rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has emerged as the new leader of Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. Upon arriving in Damascus, Jolani kissed the ground in a symbolic gesture and was seen at the Umayyad Mosque, greeted by supporters. In statements broadcast on state television, he declared, 'There is no turning back and the future belongs to us.' He urged all military forces in Damascus not to approach public institutions, which will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali until an official transfer of power. He also called on citizens to avoid interfering with state institutions and to refrain from celebratory gunfire. Jolani's rise marks a significant shift in Syria's power dynamics after more than a decade of civil war. The overthrow of Assad's regime concludes five decades of rule by the Assad family. HTS, previously linked to Al-Qaeda, has rebranded itself and distanced from its extremist roots.