Topline
Syrian militant leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani emerged as the face of a rebel-led offensive that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime over the weekend—bringing more attention to a former al-Qaida affiliate who has attempted to rebrand himself and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group away from its hardline Islamist origins.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani speaks at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus Sunday.
Key Facts
Born to Syrian parents and raised in Damascus for much of his life, al-Golani, 42, fought for al-Qaida in Iraq, and would later reemerge in his home country at the start of the Syrian civil war as the leader of the Nusra Front, a direct affiliate of al-Qaida which was designated as a terror group by the U.S. State Department.
Although allied with former Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Golani’s forces eventually fought with the Islamic State after al-Baghdadi severed ties with al-Qaida and ordered all other Islamist groups in the region to do the same and join their ranks.
In one of his earliest televised interviews given to Al Jazeera in 2014, al-Golani dismissed international political talks to resolve the civil war and said his goal was to ensure Syria is ruled under “Islamic law,” with no special concessions for Syria’s minority groups like Christians, Alawites, Druze, and others.
In 2016, al-Golani announced his Nusra Front rebel group would be renamed to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Syria Conquest Front) and severed all ties with al-Qaida—highlighting his group was only focused on Syria and did not have any international goals like al-Qaida and ISIS.
As the Assad government retook most of its territory from rebel groups, al-Golani and his group would slowly consolidate power in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province and rebrand themselves again in 2018 to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—their current name, which means Organization for Liberating Syria.
Last year, the Associated Press reported about al-Golani’s efforts to rebrand himself as a moderate, which included the dissolution of the hardline religious police in Idlib, allowing mass to be performed at a church in the province and speaking about not trying to impose Islamic law by force.
As his rebel group’s offensive progressed through Syria, al-Golani has publicly tried to assure minority groups they will be protected.
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What Do We Know About Al-Golani’s Early Life And Family?
The 42-year-old was born Ahmad Hussein al-Shara to Syrian parents residing in Saudi Arabia. In an interview with PBS’ Frontline in 2021, he said his family comes from the Golan Heights—a territory occupied by Israel. Al-Golani said his father, an “oil expert,” was a supporter of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s secular pan-Arab socialist vision but opposed the Ba’ath party, which took control of Syria in 1961 and dissolved its union with Egypt. He said his father was jailed for his opposition to the Ba’athists—a party that included Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez—and was eventually exiled to Saudi Arabia. The family would eventually move back to Damascus in 1989, where al-Golani says he lived in a liberal middle-class neighborhood. Little is known about al-Golani’s early life in Syria but in 2003, he joined al-Qaida’s Iraqi affiliate to fight against U.S. occupation forces. He would eventually be imprisoned for five years in 2006—including at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, he told PBS.
How Has Al-Golani Said He Wants To Run Syria?
In an interview with CNN last week, al-Golani spoke about how Syria should be run and addressed his earlier comments about wanting strict Islamic rule—while leaving open-ended what his role in post-Assad Syria will be. He said the “most important thing is to build institutions,” saying Syria “Syria deserves a governing system that is institutional, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions.” He also argued, “people who fear Islamic governance either have seen incorrect implementations of it or do not understand it properly.” The rebel leader also indicated his group may not be directly involved in governance, saying, “we are talking about building Syria…Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is merely one part of this dialogue, and it may dissolve at any time.”
What Has Al-Golani Said Since Assad Fell?
In his first address after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the rebel leader addressed himself by his birth name, Ahmad Hussein al-Shara, instead of his nom de guerre. Speaking at Damascus’ historic Umayyad Mosque, he said: “This victory, my brothers, is a victory for the entire Islamic nation…This new triumph, my brothers, marks a new chapter in the history of the region, a history fraught with dangers (that left) Syria as a playground for Iranian ambitions, spreading sectarianism, stirring corruption.” Another commander of the rebel forces, Anas Salkhadi, appeared on state TV and said: “Our message to all the sects of Syria, is that we tell them that Syria is for everyone.”
Contra
Even as Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham has attempted to present itself as a moderate force, its actions while running Idlib have come under criticism. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington D.C.-based think-tank, the group has shown “limited tolerance for political dissent, reacting swiftly and harshly to any protests or civilian complaints.” The group has also been accused of arresting and torturing journalists and political rivals.
Big Number
Up to $10 million. That is the financial reward the U.S. State Department still has on offer for information that may lead to the capture of al-Golani. Despite its rebranding, the group also remains on the State Department’s list of designated terror groups. In a 2021 interview with PBS, al-Golani said the terror designation was unfair as his group posed no threat to the West and he is strongly opposed to killing innocent people.
Crucial Quote
In a statement Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We have taken note of statements made by rebel leaders in recent days, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions. We again call on all actors to respect human rights, take all precautions to protect civilians, and to uphold international humanitarian law.”
Key Background
The rebel group’s takeover of Damascus comes after a week-long rapid offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other anti-Assad forces, which began with the capture of Aleppo. Assad and his family fled the country and arrived in Moscow on Sunday, where they were granted asylum. The Assad family’s exit from Syria marked an end to his 24-year reign as the country’s authoritarian leader. Bashar al-Assad took over from his father Hafez, who ruled the country for 30 years until his death in 2000. Syria has been plunged into a bloody civil war since 2011, after Assad’s forces cracked down on protests and pro-democracy rallies across the country which erupted that year as part of the wider Arab Spring. Assad and his forces had brutally cracked down on the rebels in the past few years with support from Russia.
What To Watch For
The rebels have promised to allow Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali to remain in power and work closely with his administration to ensure that the country’s public institutions remain operational. Al-Jalali himself has promised to conduct free elections in the country soon.
Further Reading
Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad Flees To Moscow After Regime Collapses, Russian Media Says (Forbes)