Ahmed al-Sharaa

Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa[a] (born 29 October 1982),

His Excellency
also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad
al-Julani,[b] is a Syrian revolutionary, military Ahmed al-Sharaa
commander, and politician who has served as the ‫أحمد الشرع‬
president of Syria since 29 January 2025.[7][8] As the
emir of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from 2017 to
2025, he played a key role in the 2024 Syrian
opposition offensives which led to the fall of the Assad
regime and the establishment of the Syrian transitional
government. Al-Sharaa subsequently served as the
country's de facto leader until his appointment as
president.[9][10]

Al-Sharaa was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to a

Syrian Sunni Muslim family from the Golan Heights.
He grew up in the capital, Damascus. Al-Sharaa joined
al-Qaeda in Iraq shortly before the 2003 invasion of Al-Sharaa in 2024
Iraq and fought for three years in the Iraqi insurgency. President of Syria
American forces captured and imprisoned him from Transitional
2006 to 2011. Al-Sharaa's release coincided with the
Assumed office
Syrian Revolution against the Ba'athist dictatorship of
29 January 2025
Bashar al-Assad.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir
Ahmed al-Sharaa created the al-Nusra Front in 2012 Preceded by Bashar al-Assad (2024)[a]
with the support of al-Qaeda to fight the Assad regime Emir of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
in the Syrian civil war. As emir of the al-Nusra Front,
In office
al-Sharaa built a stronghold in the northwestern Idlib
1 October 2017 – 29 January 2025
Governorate. He resisted Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's
attempts to merge al-Nusra with the Islamic State, Preceded by Abu Jaber Shaykh
leading to war between the two groups. The U.S. State Emir of the al-Nusra Front[b]
Department listed al-Sharaa as a "Specially Designated In office
Global Terrorist" in May 2013.[11] In 2016, al-Sharaa 23 January 2012 – 28 January 2017
cut al-Nusra's ties with al-Qaeda. Since breaking with
Personal details
al-Qaeda, he has sought international legitimacy by
Born Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa
focusing on governance in Syria rather than
29 October 1982
transnational jihadism.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Al-Sharaa merged al-Nusra with other organizations to Political party Independent
form Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in 2017, serving as emir Other political Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
from 2017 to 2025. He established a technocratic affiliations (2016–2025)
administration known as the Syrian Salvation
Spouse Latifa al-Sharaa
Government in the territory HTS controlled, collecting Parent Hussein al-Sharaa (father)
taxes, providing public services, and issuing identity Relatives Maher al-Sharaa (brother)
cards to residents, though it faced criticism for
Signature
authoritarian tactics and suppressing dissent.[12] In
recent years, he has presented a more moderate view of
himself, suggesting he has no urge to wage war against
Western nations, and has vowed to protect Syria's Nickname Abu Mohammad al-Julani
minorities.[13][14][15] Military career

Al-Sharaa launched an 11-day offensive against the Allegiance Syrian transitional

Assad regime in November 2024 and became the de government (2024–present)
facto leader of Syria on 8 December 2024 after swift Formerly
victories in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus. The Al-Qaeda (2003–2016)[1]
United States rescinded a seven-year old $10 million
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
reward offer for information leading to his capture
(2004–2006)
after he met with a U.S. delegation led by Assistant
Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara A. Mujahideen Shura
Leaf.[16] In January 2025, al-Sharaa became Syria's Council
president and ordered the dissolution of HTS and all (January 2006 – October

other armed groups as well as the Ba'ath Party. 2006)

Islamic State of Iraq

(October 2006 – 23 January
Early life and military career 2012)
[2][3][4]

Al-Nusra Front (2012–

2016)
Youth in Syria Jabhat Fateh al-Sham
Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa was born on 29 October (2016–2017)
1982 in Riyadh to a middle-class family.[17][18][19] His Syrian Salvation
father, Hussein al-Sharaa, worked there as an oil Government (2017–2024)
engineer at the Ministry of Petroleum there, and his
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
mother was a geography teacher.[20] The family
(2017–2025)
returned to Syria in 1989, settling in the affluent
Mezzeh neighborhood of Damascus, where his father Years of 2003–present
opened a real estate office.[21][22] Whilst living in the service
Mezzeh neighbourhood in the west of the city, al- Rank Commander-in-chief (HTS)
Sharaa worked part-time as a child in a grocery store Battles / wars See list
owned by his father. He frequented the Shafi'i mosque
Iraq War
in his neighbourhood, and at the age of seventeen, he
Iraqi insurgency
became religious.[23]
2003–2006 phase
According to Hussam Jazmati, who produced his most Syrian civil war
Inter-rebel conflict
definitive biography, classmates remember al-Sharaa
as a studious but unremarkable boy who wore thick 2016 Idlib clashes
2017 Idlib clashes
glasses and avoided attention.[20] During his youth, he
2020 Idlib clashes
was described as "quiet" and "shy",[17] "manipulatively
2021 Idlib clashes
2022 Aleppo clashes
intelligent" but "socially introverted", and was noted 2014 Idlib offensive
for his "good looks" and a romance with an Alawite 2015 Idlib offensive
girl which both families opposed.[24] 2017 Hama offensive
Northwestern Syria
He disagreed with many of his father's ideas but agreed campaign (October
with him about Palestine, which influenced him. 2017–February 2018)
Besides the story of his grandfather's and his family's Idlib demilitarization
displacement from the Golan Heights, al-Sharaa said (2018–2019)
that the Second Intifada in 2000 had an impact on his 2018 Aleppo clashes
life choices.[25][26] According to an interview with Dawn of Idlib
Frontline in 2021, al-Sharaa stated he was radicalized Dawn of Idlib 2
by the Palestinian Second Intifada in 2000 when he 2024 Syrian opposition
was 17 or 18 years old. He said: "I started thinking offensives
about how I could fulfil my duties, defending a people Battle of Aleppo
who are oppressed by occupiers and Hama offensive
invaders."[27][28][25]
Homs offensive

He enrolled at Damascus University, studying media a. ^ Office vacant from 8 December 2024 to
studies and enrolling in the Faculty of Medicine for 28 January 2025. Before his appointment
two years. Whilst being a university student he as president, al-Sharaa served as the
travelled from Damascus to Aleppo on Fridays to country's de facto leader
attend the sermons of Mahmoud Gul Aghasi (Abu al- b. ^ Renamed "Jabhat Fateh al-Sham" from
Qaqaa) there.[29][30] After studying for two years, he 28 July 2016
moved to Iraq in 2003.[17][20][21][22]

Iraq war
Appreciative of the 9/11 attacks,[24] al-Sharaa traveled from
Damascus to Baghdad by bus just weeks before the 2003 U.S.
invasion of Iraq, where he quickly rose through the ranks of al-
Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).[27] The Times of Israel newspaper claimed in
2013 that al-Sharaa was a close associate of AQI leader, Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi.[5] In his 2021 interview with Frontline, al-
Sharaa denied ever meeting al-Zarqawi and asserted that he served
only as a regular foot-soldier under al-Qaeda against American
occupation.[31] It is claimed that after Zarqawi was killed in a US
airstrike in 2006, al-Sharaa left Iraq and briefly stayed in Lebanon,
where he provided logistical support to the Jund al-Sham militant
group.[5]

In 2003, al-Sharaa was detained and questioned by the Military al-Sharaa as a teenager, c. 1996
Intelligence Directorate for his illegal departure from Syria to Iraq,
he was released after denying any affiliation to any political
parties or extremist groups.[22]
Before the beginning of the Iraqi civil war in 2006, al-Sharaa returned
to Iraq to continue fighting, but this time he was arrested by American
forces and imprisoned for over five years in various detention centres,
including Abu Ghraib, Camp Bucca, Camp Cropper and Camp Taji
prisons.[32][33][34][35] It is said that during this time, al-Sharaa taught
classical Arabic to other prisoners, increasing his popularity.[5]

Syrian civil war

Syrian uprising and foundation of al-Nusra Mugshot of al-Sharaa in 2006,

after his capture by U.S.
Upon his release from prison coinciding with the Syrian Revolution, forces in Iraq
Ahmed al-Sharaa was tasked in August 2011 by Ayman al-Zawahiri and
al-Qaeda's central command to establish al-Qaeda's mission in
Syria.[36][34] Al-Shara'a crossed into Syria with significant funding and a mandate to establish al-Qaeda's
presence.[32][35] Alongside senior operatives from al-Qaeda's central command, he formed "Jabhat al-
Nusra", also known as the Al-Nusra Front, which was envisioned by al-Zawahiri as a broad coalition of
Islamist militant groups led by al-Shara'a in Syria, with direct allegiance to al-Qaeda's central
command.[37]

Despite tensions with then al-Qaeda-allied leadership of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), who were content
with his departure, al-Sharaa proceeded to orchestrate an agreement with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to
expand al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, Jabhat al-Nusra. The group maintained this alliance with ISI the until
2013, with an arrangement between al-Sharaa and al-Baghdadi to resolve disputes through mediation by
al-Qaeda Emir Ayman al-Zawahiri. Over time, al-Sharaa began distancing himself from transnational
jihadist ideology, increasingly framing his faction within the context of a nationalist Syrian struggle.[27]
ISI initially provided al-Sharaa with fighters, weapons, and funding to establish the al-Qaeda affiliate in
Syria. Al-Sharaa implemented these plans alongside ISI leaders after his release from prison.[38]

Sources differ on whether Sharaa was the one who came up with the idea of ​forming Jabhat al-Nusra or
another leader in the Islamic State of Iraq; however, what is certain is that Al-Sharaa became the "general
emir" of al-Nusra when it was officially announced in January 2012. By December of that year, the US
Department of State designated Jabhat al-Nusra as a terrorist organization, identifying it as an alias for al-
Qaeda in Iraq (also known as the Islamic State of Iraq).[39] Under al-Sharaa's leadership, al-Nusra
emerged as one of Syria's most powerful groups.[5] Its stronghold was centered on the Idlib Governorate
in northwestern Syria.[40]

Conflict with ISIS

As al-Sharaa carved out a fiefdom in Syria between 2012 and 2013, the Iraqi leadership of ISI grew
suspicious of him.[41] Al-Nusra became increasingly popular for providing social services and
cooperating with other Syrian rebel groups against the Assad regime, and al-Sharaa ignored al-Baghdadi's
orders to begin fighting these groups and assassinate opposition activists.[42] Al-Baghdadi's top aide, Abu
Ali al-Anbari, travelled to Syria to investigate al-Sharaa, concluding that he was a "cunning person; two-
faced; [...] [who] glows when he hears his name mentioned on satellite channels".[41]
Concerned about al-Nusra's popularity and al-Sharaa's perceived insubordination, al-Baghdadi
unilaterally announced that al-Nusra would merge into ISI to form the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) in April 2013.[42][43] The proposed merger would have eliminated al-Nusra's autonomy and
allegiance to al-Qaeda's central command by placing all its leaders, decisions, and operations under Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi's direct control.[44] To preserve al-Nusra's independence, al-Sharaa publicly pledged
allegiance (bay'ah) directly to al-Qaeda's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who issued a declaration that
confirmed al-Nusra's independence from ISI,[45][46][47] proclaiming that Syria was the "spatial state" of
al-Nusra Front and that ISIL's rule was restricted to Iraq. Al-Zawahiri repudiated al-Baghdadi's merger
move which was announced without consulting or informing al-Qaeda's central command, and appointed
Abu Khalid al-Suri as his emissary to mediate between the two groups and supervise the implementation
of the accords.[46][48]

In late 2013, al-Zawahiri ordered al-Baghdadi to accept the annulment of the merger, who refused and
attempted to proceed with it.[43] By February 2014, efforts to end the dispute between ISIS and al-Nusra
had failed, leading to al-Qaeda formally severing its ties with ISIS on February 2014 and leaving al-
Nusra as the sole representative of al-Qaeda in Syria.[49][45] After the assassination of Abu Khalid al-Suri
on 23 February, al-Sharaa denounced ISIS and likened them to the Iraqi "sahawat" who fought against al-
Qaeda alongside the U.S., accusing them of undermining the fight against Assad by fighting rebels.[50]
Open warfare between ISIS and al-Nusra ensued; al-Sharaa warned that the fighting risked giving a
reprieve to Assad.[51][5] Over the following months, ISIS captured much of the territory controlled by al-
Nusra and the Syrian opposition,[50] leaving an estimated four thousand fighters on both sides dead by
February 2015.[43] In June 2015, al-Sharaa told Al Jazeera that no resolution to the conflict was
forthcoming, and that unless ISIS "repent to God and return to their senses", there would be "nothing but
fighting between us".[52]

Threats against the United States

After the start of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition's airstrike campaign against the
Islamic State in Syria, al-Sharaa, in a rare public declaration, described the airstrikes as an assault on
Islam, and warned the Western public: "This is what will take the battle to the heart of your land, for the
Muslims will not stand as spectators watching their sons bombed and killed in their lands, while you stay
safe in your lands." In his audio message, released five days after the U.S. strikes, al-Sharaa said: "Do not
let the West and America take advantage of the injustice of the Islamic State upon you … Those who are
unable to repulse the Islamic State or others, then let them do so without being a partner with the crusader
alliance." Al-Sharaa also warned that al-Nusra will fight any group which takes American cash and
weapons, condemning "the traitorous factions that were bought by the West with some money and
ammunition so as to be a pawn in its hands."[53] In an audio statement released on 28 September 2014, al-
Sharaa stated that he would fight the "United States and its allies" and urged his fighters not to accept
help from the West in their battle against the Islamic State.[54]

Resurgence of al-Nusra
In late May 2015, al-Sharaa was interviewed by Ahmed Mansour on Qatari news broadcaster Al Jazeera,
hiding his face. He described the Geneva peace conference as a farce and claimed that the Western-
backed Syrian National Coalition did not represent the Syrian people and had no ground presence in
Syria. Al-Sharaa mentioned that al-Nusra have no plans for attacking Western targets, and that their
priority is focused on fighting the al-Assad Syrian government, Hezbollah, and the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant. Al-Sharaa told al-Jazeera in 2015, "Nusra Front doesn't have any plans or directives to
target the West. We received clear orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri not to use Syria as a launching pad to
attack the U.S. or Europe in order to not sabotage the true mission against the regime. Maybe Al-Qaeda
does that but not here in Syria. Assad forces are fighting us on one end, Hezbollah on another and ISIL on
a third front. It is all about their mutual interests".[55] When asked about Nusra's plans for post-war Syria,
Sharaa initially stated that all factions in the country will be consulted before anyone thinks about
"establishing an Islamic state," referring to Baghdadi. He also stated that Nusra would not target the
country's Alawite minority despite its support for the Assad regime. He continued: "Our war is not a
matter of revenge against the Alawites despite the fact that in Islam, they are considered to be heretics",
he added.[55] A commentary on this interview however states that al-Sharaa also added that Alawites
would be left alone as long as they abandon elements of their faith which contradict Islam.[56]

By October 2015, the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war prompted al-Sharaa to call for
increased attacks on Assad strongholds in Alawite villages in retaliation for Russian airstrikes on Sunni
areas, saying, "There is no choice but to escalate the battle and target Alawite towns and villages in
Latakia."[57] He also called for attacks against the Russian civilians to be attacked by Muslims from the
former Soviet Union for their support of the Syrian regime.[58][59]

Split from al-Qaeda

The Russian entrance into the war led to a reversal of fortunes for the Syrian opposition and increased the
influence of their foreign backers over them. In January 2016, al-Nusra held unity negotiations with other
rebel groups in a bid to pre-empt any foreign attempt to co-opt these groups against it. When the talks
collapsed due to concerns over al-Nusra's affiliation with al-Qaeda, the reformist wing of al-Nusra —
which may have comprised a third of its overall membership — presented al-Sharaa with an ultimatum:
to sever ties with al-Qaeda and merge with other rebel groups, or face a mass defection.[60]

In July 2016, al-Sharaa convened al-Nusra's Shura Council twice to discuss the matter. The first council
was inconclusive, while the second council settled on a "middle way" after several meetings: to break ties
with al-Qaeda outside of Syria while retaining them inside Syria.[60] As al-Zawahiri could not be
contacted, several senior al-Qaeda leaders, including al-Zawahiri's deputy Abu Khayr al-Masri, approved
the split contingent on al-Zawahiri later approving it himself.[61][60] If he did not, the split would have to
be reversed. Al-Sharaa agreed to these terms, which were narrowly approved by al-Nusra's Shura
Council.[60]

On 28 July 2016, al-Sharaa announced that al-Nusra had severed ties with al-Qaeda and rebranded as
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS).[62][63] He added that the new organisation would have "no affiliation to any
external entity".[64] Ayman al-Zawahiri was publicly supportive of the split,[62] even though he had
rejected the plan when it was presented to him.[61] In protest, several leading al-Qaeda loyalists in al-
Nusra, including Abu Julaybib, Abu Khadija al-Urduni and Abu Humam al-Shami, left JFS.[60] In
September 2016, al-Zawahiri authored a letter that harshly reprimanded al-Sharaa for his "act of
disobedience", and admonished al-Masri for giving it his approval. Due to al-Zawahiri's rejection, al-
Masri withdrew his support for the split. Al-Qaeda leaders Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah and Saif al-Adel
also opposed the split, and al-Sharaa was expected to reverse his decision. However, he refused to do
so.[60]

Formation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

After forming JFS, al-Sharaa attempted to arrange a merger with Ahrar al-Sham.[65] However,
negotiations collapsed due to al-Sharaa supporting Jund al-Aqsa — a group that he had secretly
established to discourage al-Nusra's foreign fighters from defecting to ISIS — in their conflict with Ahrar
al-Sham. Ahrar al-Sham's leadership were also concerned that JFS continued to maintain ties with al-
Qaeda.[60] Meanwhile, al-Sharaa came under attack from al-Qaeda. Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi wrote a
critique of the manhaj of JFS, and rumours circulated that al-Qaeda was preparing to launch a new
affiliate in Syria named "Taliban al-Sham".[60]

In a last-ditch bid to secure a merger, al-Sharaa led efforts to undermine Ahrar al-Sham's nationalist and
anti-merger wing.[60] When Ahrar al-Sham's leadership again refused to merge in December 2017, the
pro-merge wing formed a breakaway "sub-faction" named Jaysh al-Ahrar.[65][60] Shortly afterwards, JFS
attacked Free Syrian Army (FSA) positions across Idlib and Aleppo, precipitating a conflict with Ahrar
al-Sham. The conflict allowed JFS to defeat CIA-backed FSA groups, which it viewed as a "foreign
conspiracy".[60]

On 28 January 2017, al-Sharaa announced that JFS would dissolve and merge with Liwa al-Haqq, Jaysh
al-Sunna, Ansar al-Din Front and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement to form Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
(HTS),[66][60] gaining approximately 3,000 to 5,000 more fighters.[60] In an effort to demonstrate the
maturity of the new group, al-Sharaa arranged for Jaysh al-Ahrar's leader Abu Jaber Shaykh to serve as
the nominal leader of HTS, although leadership was formally transferred back to al-Sharaa by December
2017.[65] The remaining al-Qaeda loyalists in JFS viewed the formation of HTS as a definitive break
from the organisation and refused to join. A number of al-Qaeda veterans publicly criticised al-Sharaa for
his moves; Sami al-Oraydi condemned it as insubordination against Ayman al-Zawahiri. As a result,
several were arrested by HTS towards the end of 2017, including al-Oraydi. After their release, some
were involved in forming Hurras al-Din, the new Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda.[65]

The U.S. government quickly rejected this rebranding, with the U.S. Embassy in Syria stating that "The
core of HTS is Nusra, a designated terrorist organisation. This designation applies regardless of what
name it uses or what groups merge into it." The Embassy characterized HTS's formation as an attempt to
"hijack the Syrian revolution" rather than a move toward moderation.[67] Despite this stance, under HTS,
the group prioritized combating al-Qaeda and ISIS in an effort to improve its standing with Western
nations. HTS successfully defeated ISIS, al-Qaeda, and most opposing forces in its territory, establishing
control over most of Idlib Governorate, which it administered through the HTS-aligned Syrian Salvation
Government.[38][68]

Idlib governance
Under al-Sharaa's administration, Idlib had experienced significant development, becoming Syria's
fastest-growing region despite being historically its poorest province. The area featured new luxury
shopping malls, housing estates, and round-the-clock electricity supply surpassing that of Damascus.
Educational facilities included a university with 18,000 segregated students. However, his administration
faced criticism for its taxation policies, including customs taxes on
goods from Turkey and checkpoint fees on smuggled goods, as
well as the economic impact of the Turkish lira's depreciation,
which was the main currency in the region.[69]

In March 2024, widespread protests erupted in Idlib Governorate

against al-Sharaa's rule, with demonstrators adopting the slogan
"Isqat al-Julani" ("Down with Julani"), reminiscent of earlier
protests against the Assad regime. For over a month, hundreds and
sometimes thousands of protesters marched through Idlib's cities Military situation before the
and towns. The protests were triggered by multiple factors, opposition offensives in late 2024.
including allegations of brutality, with reports of thousands of Territories held by Tahrir al-Sham
critics held in prisons, and economic grievances related to high (white) and the Syrian government
taxes.[69] (red).

In response to the unrest, al-Sharaa made several concessions. He

released hundreds of detainees from a previous summer's security operation, including his former deputy
Abu Maria al-Qahtani, who had been arrested along with 300 others in a purge of his movement. He also
promised local elections and increased employment opportunities for displaced persons, while warning
protesters against what he termed treachery.[69]

Turkey, which had previously helped stabilize the province by connecting it to its electricity grid and
allowing building materials to enter freely, had grown concerned about al-Sharaa's expanding influence.
In response, it reduced trade through its border crossings with Idlib, affecting HTS's revenue. Reports
indicated that al-Sharaa had twice attempted to take over other Turkish-administered areas in northern
Syria.[69]

2024 rebel takeover

In late November 2024, al-Sharaa led HTS in its Deterrence of
Aggression offensive against the pro-Assad Syrian Arab
Army.[70][71][72][73]

On 1 December 2024, the Al-Usbu’ magazine reported

unconfirmed allegations circulating in Arab media and social
media that al-Sharaa had been killed in a Russian airstrike,[74] but
these allegations were refuted when al-Sharaa visited the Citadel
of Aleppo on 4 December 2024, after its capture by his forces Syrian opposition offensives that
earlier that month.[75] During the capture of Aleppo, al-Sharaa overthrew Assad's regime in 11
instructed his forces not to "scare children" and HTS channels days
broadcast footage of Christians in the city continuing their normal
activities. Archbishop Afram Ma'lui stated that services would not
be affected by the change in control. After regime forces were expelled from the city, al-Sharaa declared
"diversity is a strength". HTS quickly established administrative bodies to restore basic services,
including garbage collection, electricity, and water. The group's General Zakat Commission began
distributing emergency bread supplies, while its General Organization for Grain Trade and Processing
provided fuel to local bakeries. The Ministry of Development and Humanitarian Affairs reported
delivering 65,000 loaves of bread under a campaign called "Together We Return".[76]
On 6 December, in a face-to-face interview with CNN, al-Sharaa declared that the offensive's goal was to
remove Assad from power. Using his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, he explicitly pledged to protect
minority groups,[13] and outlined plans for establishing a government grounded in institutions and a
"council chosen by the people".[77] According to Dareen Khalifa of the International Crisis Group, al-
Sharaa has considered dissolving HTS to strengthen civilian and military governance structures.[78] He
also expressed his intention to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.[79] In his victory
speech following the fall of Damascus, he condemned Iran as a source of sectarianism and corruption,
and framed the triumph as a turning point for the region.[77]

On 20 December 2024, following meetings between HTS officials and U.S. diplomats in Damascus, the
United States rescinded a $10 million reward it had previously offered for the arrest of al-Sharaa.[80]

Governance following fall of Assad government

As de facto leader (2024–2025)

On 8 December 2024, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi
al-Jalali announced that the Syrian government would hand over
power to a new elected government following the departure of al-
Assad from Damascus, and al-Sharaa announced further that al-
Jalali will "supervise state institutions until they are handed over".
Al-Jalali later noted to Al Arabiya that he and al-Sharaa had been
in contact prior to the announcement to discuss the handover.[81] Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine met with al-
On the same day, he delivered a speech at Damascus's Umayyad Sharaa in Damascus on 30
Mosque, calling the fall of Assad's regime "a new chapter in the December 2024 to discuss the
history of the region" and condemning Syria's role as "a restoration of bilateral relations.
playground for Iranian ambitions", characterized by sectarianism
and corruption.[77] He condemned Iran as a source of sectarianism
and corruption, and described the victory as a turning point for the region.[82] Al-Sharaa subsequently
became the country's de facto leader as head of the HTS.[83]

On 9 December, HTS released a video of al-Sharaa, al-Jalali and Mohammed al-Bashir, the head of the de
facto government in Idlib.[84] On 12 December, al-Sharaa met with Turkish officials, which marked the
first diplomatic delegation since Assad's overthrow.[85]

On 14 December, al-Sharaa stressed in his statements after the fall of the Assad regime that the next
phase will be an opportunity to serve the Syrians and build the future. He explained that there is no
justification for any foreign intervention after the withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria, considering
that the "Iranian project" was harmful, and that the victory in Syria is a victory over this project. He also
stressed that what happened in Syria was not a coincidence, but rather the result of long preparations.
Regarding relations with Russia, he stated that the Russians began to feel frustrated with the Assad
regime, and that the new leadership in Syria gave Russia an opportunity to build a new relationship.
Regarding the Syrian leadership, he pointed out the need to move away from the mentality of revolution
and move towards a state of law and institutions.[86][87] Al-Sharaa stated to Al Jazeera Arabic that the
choices of governance will be discussed among a group of experts; then, public elections would be held
to make the final choice.[88]
On 24 December, al-Sharaa announced the dissolution and merger
of multiple rebel factions, including the Turkish-backed Syrian
National Army, into the interim government's Ministry of Defense.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were excluded from
this consolidation due to ongoing conflicts with Turkish-backed
rebels in northeastern Syria. The reorganization coincided with al-
Sharaa's efforts to establish new state institutions, including law Al-Sharaa met with Sheikh
enforcement and security forces, amid reports of revenge killings Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Alhinai, the
and highway banditry. The administration established processing Ambassador-at-Large of the Foreign
centers for former regime soldiers and initiated police force Ministry of Oman, on 11 January
recruitment. [89] In an interview with al-Arabiya on 29 December, 2025.
al-Sharaa said that he expected the process of writing a new
constitution of Syria to take two or three years, with elections
expected after four years.[90] On the same day, Al-Sharaa announced the promotion of 42 individuals to
the rank of Colonel, five to the rank of Brigadier general, and two to the rank of Major general in the
Syrian Army to the Minister of Defence Murhaf Abu Qasra and Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian
Armed Forces and Army Ali Noureddine al-Naasan, who were both elevated to the rank of Major
general.[91][92]

On 3 January 2025, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot became the first top
diplomats from European Union member states to travel to
Damascus since the fall of Assad,[93] meeting with al-Sharaa to
discuss a new political beginning between Europe and Syria.[94]
On 29 January, a Russian delegation led by Deputy Foreign
Minister Mikhail Bogdanov visited Damascus to meet al-Sharaa,
reaffirming Moscow's support for Syria's sovereignty and
Al-Sharaa greeting European
territorial integrity following the fall of the Assad regime.[95] Commissioner Hadja Lahbib in
Syria, 17 January 2025.

Presidency (2025–present)
On 29 January, al-Sharaa was formally named interim president by the transitional government.[96] The
appointment was announced by Hassan Abdel Ghani, the spokesman and commander of the rebels'
Military Operations Department, who stated, "We announce the appointment of al-Sharaa as the head of
state during the transitional period. He will assume the duties of the president of the Syrian Arab Republic
and represent the country in international forums."[97]

In his first address as president, al-Sharaa said that he would hold a "national dialogue conference" and
issue a "constitutional declaration" to serve as a "legal reference" during the political transition following
the dissolution of the Assad-era constitution.[98] He also ordered the dissolution of all armed groups in
Syria, including the military and HTS, as well as the Ba'ath party.[99] Al-Sharaa declared that he would
"pursue the criminals who shed Syrian blood and committed massacres and crimes."[100] He also added
that he would establish an interim legislative council to govern until a new constitution was adopted.[101]

Leaders from several countries congratulated al-Sharaa on his appointment as president.[102] On 30

January, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the first head of state to visit Damascus since
the fall of the Assad regime, discussing post-conflict reconstruction in Syria and other topics.[103] On 2
February, al-Sharaa visited Saudi Arabia. It was his first official trip abroad since the fall of the Assad
regime. During the visit, he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.[104][105]

Political positions

Economy
In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Sharaa spoke about his ambitions for Syria's economic development.
al-Sharaa said that Syria needs 'experts who know the country's assets and try to benefit from all the
experiences of the world, so as to come up with something that suits the nature of the society.' Al-Sharaa
said that after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, there are 'major investment and economic
opportunities', and that Saudi Arabia has a very large role in Syria's economic development. Al-Sharaa
pointed to a major investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries that can implement joint
economic projects with the new Syrian regime. Regarding the sanctions imposed on Syria, al-Sharaa said
he 'hopes the incoming US administration, led by President-elect Donald Trump, will lift the sanctions
imposed on Syria'.[106] He said one of his top priorities is to rebuild the economy by issuing a new
currency after the value of the current currency is stabilised.[107]

Views on Israel
In an interview with the Syria TV news channel regarding the ongoing Israeli invasion of Syria, al-Sharaa
said that after the fall of the Assad regime, Israel no longer has "any excuses" for attacking Syrian
territory. He also spoke of "diplomatic solutions" as the only way to ensure security instead of "ill-
considered military adventures".[108][109] Al-Sharaa reportedly told a group of journalists that HTS would
continue to uphold the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement that ended the Yom Kippur War.[110] In
an interview with The New York Times in December 2024, Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed Syria’s
commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Israel, which was signed following the October
1973 war to separate the warring forces on both sides.[111] However, al-Sharaa warned against Israel
continuing its airstrikes on Syrian territory and called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas they
entered after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.[112] He stated, "Israel intended to enter Syria under
the pretext of the Iranian presence, and its pretext has now ended."[113]

On December 14, 2024, al-Sharaa clarified that his administration was not interested in engaging in a new
conflict with Israel, emphasizing that Syria's priority was rebuilding after years of war. He noted that the
country's deteriorating situation did not permit further hostilities and that maintaining state stability was
paramount. al-Sharaa stressed that diplomatic solutions were the only viable path to ensuring security and
long-term stability in the region.[114]

Views on Iran
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Ahmed al-Sharaa has made several statements regarding Iran's
involvement in Syria. For many years, Syria and Iran maintained a strategic alliance, with Damascus
serving as a key component of the so-called 'Axis of Resistance'.[115] However, with the regime's
collapse, this relationship is being reassessed. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat published on
December 20, 2024, al-Sharaa asserted that under Bashar al-Assad, Syria had become a platform for Iran
to exert influence over major Arab capitals, expand conflicts, and destabilize Gulf nations through
activities such as drug trafficking, including the distribution of Captagon. He described Iran’s regional
ambitions as detrimental and framed the developments in Syria as a setback for Iran’s influence in the
region. "What we have done and achieved with the least possible damage and losses," he stated, adding
that "the Iranian project in the region has been set back 40 years."[116]

Personal life
Little is known about al-Sharaa's personal life, which he is careful not to share with the media. Prior to
the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives, Time reported that in one of the meetings of prominent armed
groups attended by the leaders of Ahrar al-Sham, Suqour al-Sham, Liwa al-Islam, and other brigades, al-
Sharaa sat in a mask, refusing to reveal his identity, and was introduced to the attendees by the Front's
emirs in Aleppo and Idlib.[117] On 29 January 2025, al-Sharaa introduced his wife, Latifa al-Sharaa.[118]
This marked her first public appearance at the Presidential Palace in Damascus during a meeting with a
Syrian-American women’s delegation.[119]

Documentary
On 1 June 2021 PBS Frontline released a documentary, The Jihadist, investigating al-Sharaa's past in the
context of the ongoing Syrian civil war.[120] In the interview, reflecting on his past affiliation with al-
Qaeda, on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the Palestinian cause, al-Sharaa commented in the
interview:

The history of the region and what it went through over the past 20 or 30 years needs to be
taken into consideration... We are talking about a region ruled by tyrants, by people who rule
with iron fists and their security apparatuses. At the same time, this region is surrounded by
numerous conflicts and wars... We can't take a segment of this history and say so-and-so
joined Al Qaeda. There are thousands of people who joined Al Qaeda, but let us ask what
was the reason behind these people joining Al Qaeda? That's the question. Are the U.S.
policies after World War II toward the region partially responsibility for driving people
towards Al Qaeda organization? And are the European policies in the region responsible for
the reactions of people who sympathize with the Palestinian cause or with the way the
Zionist regime deals with the Palestinians?.. are the broken and oppressed peoples who had
to endure what happened in Iraq, for example, or in Afghanistan, are they responsible..?.. our
involvement with Al Qaeda in the past was an era, and it ended, and even at that time when
we were with Al Qaeda, we were against external attacks, and it's completely against our
policies to carry out external operations from Syria to target European or American people.
This was not part of our calculations at all, and we did not do it at all.[38]

Bibliography
On Jihadist online forums, there are essays and articles attributed to al-Sharaa under the name "Abdullah
Bin Muhammad", including The Strategy of the Regional War.[121]

See also
Abu Jaber Shaykh
Ali Keda
Riad al-Asaad
Saif al-Adel
Abd al-Rahman al-Maghribi

Notes
a. Arabic: ‫أحَمد ُح سين الشرع‬, romanized: ʾAḥmad Ḥusayn ash-Sharaʿ
b. Arabic: ‫أبو محمد الجوالني‬, romanized: ʾAbū Muḥammad al-Jawlānī; also transliterated as
Joulani, Jolani, and Golani[5][6]

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Bibliography
Zelin, Aaron Y. (2022). The Age of Political Jihadism: A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (http
s://www.washingtoninstitute.org/sites/default/files/pdf/PolicyFocus175Zelinv2.pdf) (PDF).
 The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. ISBN 9798985447446.

External links
Abu Muhammad al-Golani (http://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/abu-muhammad-al
-golani)—Profile in Counter Extremism Project

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