Syrian jihad leader swapped jihadi attire for a blazer, framing 'jihad' as 'revolution'

Image: Jihad Watch

Ahmed Al Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is an Islamist militant who emerged as a key figure in the Syrian conflict. In 2011, he returned to Syria from Iraq with six companions and a monthly stipend of $50,000 provided by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, later known as the world's most wanted terrorist. His mission was to establish Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Jabhat Al Nusra.

Today, Jolani commands thousands of fighters in an armed rebellion seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Syrian parents from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and raised in Damascus, he revealed in a 2021 PBS interview that his radicalization was fueled by the Second Palestinian Intifada in the early 2000s. After the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, he joined the jihadist movement there, gaining recognition for his deep understanding of Syria, which made him a key figure in Al Qaeda's plans to expand into Syria during the uprising.

For years, Jolani maintained secrecy, concealing his identity by covering his face during public appearances and avoiding direct exposure in interviews. His first public appearance came in 2016, in a video announcing a break from Al Qaeda. He unveiled Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (the Front for the Conquest of the Levant), which later became Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Jolani claimed this new group had no external affiliations, marking an effort to distance himself from his radical Islamist origins.

The split from Al Qaeda was strategic, aimed at mitigating attacks from global powers like the U.S. and Russia and marking the beginning of Jolani’s shift from a jihadist leader to a figure positioning himself as a regional revolutionary. In a 2021 PBS interview, he stated he had no intention of waging war against Western nations.

In subsequent years, Jolani replaced his traditional militant attire with a Western-style blazer and shirt, established a semi-technocratic government in Idlib under his group's control, and sought to rebrand himself as a partner in curbing Iran’s influence in the Middle East. His group conducted operations against ISIS, including the notable killing of ISIS leader Abu Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi in 2023.

Reflecting on his transformation, Jolani told CNN, “Everyone in life goes through phases and experiences… As you grow, you learn, and you continue to learn until the very last day of your life.”

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)