HTS Leader al-Jolani, Once al-Qaeda, Leads Aleppo Offensive

Dec 4, 2024, 01:29 PM

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly al-Qaeda's chapter in Syria with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, has made a public appearance at the Aleppo Citadel, signaling a significant shift in the Syrian conflict. Al-Jolani was seen visiting the city center and the Citadel of Aleppo after his group captured the city. This development comes shortly after unfounded rumors circulated that al-Jolani had been killed in an airstrike in Idlib. His presence in Aleppo, leading the offensive against Assad's forces, marks a notable escalation in the ongoing Syrian civil war.