Abu Mohammed al-Golani was once the leader of al-Qaeda branch in Syria. He has now emerged as the head of the country's extremist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), Golani has been focusing on rebuilding his image for more than a decade. After severing ties with al-Qaeda, efforts to gain support from international parties and Syria's religious and ethnic minorities have been a significant aspect of his activities.
Last week, Golani, 42, took control of Syria's largest city, leading the HTS. The sudden incident reignited the country's long civil war and called into question President Bashar al-Assad's ability to hold on to power.
Golani's military success was the result of his long strategic moves. He broke ties with al-Qaeda to change his image. However, he gradually built the extremist HTS into a powerful force.
According to AP, Golani is a native of Syria, but his extremism has its roots in Iraq. In 2003, he joined extremists fighting against US forces in Iraq.
During the Syrian civil war in 2011, Golani founded Syria's Nusra Front under the orders of al-Qaeda leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The US immediately declared the group a terrorist organization and put a $10 million bounty on Golani's head.
In 2013, Golani opposed Baghdadi's proposal to merge the Nusra Front into a part of the Islamic State (IS). In 2016, he announced that his party had severed ties with al-Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. It later assumed the name 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' or HTS.
Golani reportedly ditched his military uniform and started wearing a suit-tie to improve his image. Not only this, during this period he called for religious tolerance and also called for pluralism. He tried to transform HTS into a modern organization. He even apologized to the Druze community in Idlib for past actions and met with the families of Kurds killed by Turkish-backed militias.
Golani interviewed an American journalist on PBS in 2021. There he claimed that his organization is not a threat to the western countries. He said, 'We have criticized Western policies, but we have not declared war on the US or Europe. Our intention was to govern Syria under Islamic law.'
HTS currently holds a strong position in northwestern Syria's Idlib province. Their recent attacks on Aleppo and surrounding areas have destabilized the political balance of Syria.
Golani has now led his organization to a dominant position among the rebel forces in Syria. But his past and the activities of the HTS are still a source of deep suspicion to the international community.
Analysts believe Golani's leadership and HTS's military activities will have a significant impact on Syria's future conflict and politics. However, his past and the activities of the organization may become a major obstacle in making him acceptable to the international community.
