Syria's new era: Rebels oust Assad, Jolani steps in
On Sunday, Syrian rebels declared that Bashar al-Assad's regime had been overthrown. Russians claim that Assad has left his position as the country's president and fled Syria. According to "The Telegraph," his family has also escaped the country and is currently in Russia. Syria now has a new leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.
On Sunday, Syrian rebels announced that they had taken control of the country. Two main organisations are involved in this action: HTS, also known as the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, under the leadership of Abu Muhammad al-Jolani and the Syrian National Army. There are reports that Turkey helped to coordinate the rebel offensive and gave it the go-ahead. However, Turkish authorities officially deny playing any role in recent events in Syria.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad flew out of Damascus on Sunday to an undisclosed location. On the same day, reports emerged that he had died in a plane crash. Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Gazi al-Jalali stated that since Saturday evening it has been unclear where the deposed Syrian president is. However, a few hours later, the Russian Foreign Ministry, which had supported his regime for years, announced that he had left the country. Assad's family is reportedly in Russia.
Abu Muhammad al-Jolani speaks: "This regime is dead"
A critical role in the events in Syria is played by the aforementioned Islamist group HTS and its leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. He, along with two companions, announced in a televised statement the liberation of Syria's capital and the overthrow of Assad after his 24-year rule. HTS is now the most powerful armed opposition group in Syria.
On Friday, Jolani gave an interview to CNN, which, as emphasised by the network, took place in broad daylight with minimal protection. He stated that the goal of the Syrian rebel coalition is ultimately to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. He spoke about plans to establish a government based on institutions and a "council chosen by the people."
"The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it… the Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains: this regime is dead," Jolani said on Friday..
On Sunday, the HTS leader announced that Syrian state institutions would be overseen by former Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali until their official handover to the new authority. Reuters indicates that this signals a desire to ensure an orderly transition after the rebels announced the end of Assad's rule.
Who is Abu Muhammad al-Jolani?
Jolani is probably 42 years old. He was born in Saudi Arabia and returned to Syria with his family in 1989. Two years after the attack on the World Trade Center, he found himself in Iraq and joined Al-Qaeda. Three years later, he was captured by the Americans and held for five years. After regaining freedom, he was tasked with establishing an Al-Qaeda branch in Syria, according to Al Jazeera. During this time, he collaborated with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the future leader of ISIS. However, he soon distanced himself from these organisations.
In the following years, Jolani seemed to distance himself from Al-Qaeda's goals, which included the creation of a "global caliphate" in all Muslim countries. Instead, he focused on building an organisation in Syria. In 2017, HTS was formed, and he became its leader.
As described by the Washington think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, Jawlani and his rebels set their own goal: liberating Syria from Assad's autocratic government, expelling Iranian militias from the country, and building a state following their interpretation of "Islamic law."
In 2018, the United States designated HTS as a foreign terrorist organisation and set a reward of £8 million for Jolani.
Inside rebel-controlled territory in Syria, it’s clear he operates less like a wanted man and more like a politician. After forces loyal to him took control of Aleppo, he made a public appearance in the city’s historic citadel CNN reports.
Will he survive as Syria's leader, or will he turn out to be just a temporary figurehead? There is no definite answer to this question. Media covering the situation in this part of the world emphasise that opposition forces in Syria are decentralised and operate based on different ideologies, although they share a common goal: overthrowing Assad's regime.
