Syrian Rebel Leader Jolani Rebrands From Jihadist to Revolutionary

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, seeks legitimacy as a political figure while continuing his campaign to overthrow Bashar al-Assad.

• Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, now openly using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, has shifted his public image from extremist jihadist to a more moderate revolutionary leader.
• Jolani leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group formerly linked to Al-Qaeda, in its campaign to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
• HTS has established a civilian government in Idlib province, but human rights groups accuse the group of harsh crackdowns and abuses against dissenters, classified as war crimes by the UN.
• Jolani has distanced HTS from Al-Qaeda, claiming no intention to target Western nations, and has taken steps to eliminate ISIS operatives in areas under his control, including leading operations against key ISIS figures.
• Despite efforts to rebrand as a regional political actor, HTS remains designated as a terrorist organization by Western governments, and skepticism persists about Jolani's transformation.

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