Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of Syrian rebellion?
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the 42-year-old leader of the insurgent group that forced Syrian President Bashar Assad out of the country and ended his regime, is said to have worked for years to distance himself from his extremist past and present a more moderate face to the world.
Known for his role in Syria’s ongoing civil war, al-Golani has transformed from a jihadist figure linked to terror outfit al-Qaida to a leader advocating for pluralism and state-building.
Al-Golani’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been a key player in the insurgency that led to the fall of Damascus on Sunday and forced Assad into hiding. The collapse of Assad’s regime after over five decades of family rule has opened up questions about Syria’s future, with many ethnic and religious groups fearing the rise of Sunni Islamist extremists.
Although al-Golani has remained out of the spotlight since the fall of Damascus, his influence is undeniable. His group, originally part of al-Qaida’s Nusra Front, has grown stronger over the years by eliminating rivals and consolidating control in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province. There, he built a de facto government, drawing support from local tribes and communities, while also shedding his previous image of a hardline militant.
From al-Qaida linked fighter to leader of HTS
In recent interviews, al-Golani has spoken about the importance of building inclusive institutions for Syria, even hinting that his group could eventually dissolve after Assad’s fall. “Syria deserves a system where decisions are made by institutions, not one leader,” he said in a CNN interview.
Al-Golani’s journey from an al-Qaida-linked fighter in Iraq to the leader of HTS has been marked by strategic rebranding. In 2016, he severed ties with al-Qaida, renaming his group to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and later to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. This shift helped him consolidate power and forge alliances with a variety of ethnic and religious groups that had previously been excluded by extremist factions.
While his past remains controversial, al-Golani’s current image reflects his ambition to lead Syria into a new era, away from the violent ideologies of his earlier years. Yet, with Syria still fractured and international powers vying for influence, the future of the country remains uncertain, and al-Golani’s role as a potential leader will be tested in the coming months.
The Syrian government collapsed early Sunday, falling to a swift rebel offensive that seized control of the capital of Damascus and sent crowds into the streets to celebrate the end of the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule.
Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of men saying that President Bashar Assad had been overthrown and all detainees in jails had been set free.
The man who read the statement said the opposition group known as the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus called on all opposition fighters and citizens to preserve state institutions of “the free Syrian state.”