Former al-Qaeda Leader Golani Seizes Aleppo, Reshaping Syria’s Rebel Landscape

Abu Mohammed al-Golani and his HTS group have captured Syria's largest city, signaling a major shift in the country's civil war and challenging Assad's control.

• Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has emerged as the most powerful opposition figure in Syria after his forces captured Aleppo, the country's largest city, from Assad's government.
• Golani has distanced himself from his al-Qaeda roots, rebranding HTS as a nationalist group focused on establishing an Islamic state within Syria, rather than pursuing transnational jihadist goals.
• The capture of Aleppo marks the most significant military victory for Syrian rebels in years, reigniting the long-stalled conflict and raising concerns among neighboring countries about potential regional instability.
• HTS has sought to reframe its image by appealing to Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, promising protection and inclusion, though its rule in Idlib has been criticized for suppressing dissent and targeting activists.
• Golani's transformation from a shadowy jihadist to a high-profile insurgent leader includes efforts to gain international legitimacy, including public interviews and a departure from his group's earlier extremist rhetoric.

4 Articles

Al Jazeera Associated Press Associated Press