File photo: Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa (Picture credit: AP) Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, emerged as Syria’s interim president on Wednesday, after leading the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government a few months ago. Once a shadowy jihadist with ties to al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa has undergone a striking transformation, presenting himself as…
FILE – Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, walks in the presidential palace ahead of his meeting with Walid Ellafi, Libyan minister of state for communication and political affairs, in Damascus, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy, File) DAMASCUS: The Syrian factions that toppled President Bashar Assad last month…
US secretary of state Antony Blinken confirmed on Saturday that American officials have been in direct communication with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US since 2018.“We’ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties,” Blinken told reporters. HTS recently led a coalition of…
Obaida Arnaout (Picture credit: Afshin Rattansi X handle) Syria’s constitution and parliament will be suspended for three months during a transition period following President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, according to an AFP report citing the new government spokesman.Obaida Arnaout, the new government spokesman, said that a committee will review and amend the constitution. “A judicial and…
Image used for representative purposes TOI correspondent from London: The UK government indicated on Monday that it could consider lifting the ban on Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has toppled the Assad regime in Syria, if the group delivers on its promises like protecting the minorities and people’s rights.HTS has been proscribed…
As Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia by plane, ending the 13 year old civil war, Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stormed his palace looting his belongings. A viral video from inside the palace showed Assad’s lavish car collection, featuring luxury cars including Ferraris, Aston Martins, Rolls-Royces, and BMWs.Videos on social media show looters…
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. (AP photo) Rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Sunday after a swift offensive lasting less than two weeks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, according to Russian news agencies.HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, delivered…
For years, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani was known as a shadowy figure leading Syria’s branch of Al-Qaeda. As the founder of the Al-Nusra Front (ANF), his group was synonymous with extremist ideology, brutal tactics, and a global terrorist entity by the United States in 2013. Yet today, Jolani is crafting a dramatically different image, one that…
Mohammed al-Jolani (File photo) Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who stepped into the spotlight after his Islamist alliance led a decisive offensive that rebels claim has toppled President Bashar al-Assad, ending five decades of Baath Party rule in Syria.Jolani, whose real name is Ahmed al-Sharaa, has a controversial past….
Then Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his wife Anisa Makhlouf with their children (L-R) Maher, Bashar, Bassel, Majd and Bushra. (AFP image) The Assads have ruled Syria for over half a century. On Sunday, rebel forces breached their capital and seat of power Damascus, prompting President Bashar al-Assad to flee and effectively ending the family’s…
