Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa[e] (born 29 October 1982), also known by hisnom de guerre[f]Abu Mohammad al-Julani,[g] is a Syrian politician, revolutionary, and former rebel commander who has served as thepresident of Syria since 2025. He previously served as theemir ofHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from 2017 to 2025 and was Syria'sde facto leader from December 2024 until his appointment as president.
Born inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia, to a SyrianSunni Muslim family fromDaraa and theGolan Heights, he grew up in Syria's capital,Damascus. Al-Sharaa joinedal-Qaeda in Iraq shortly before the2003 invasion of Iraq and fought for three years in theIraqi insurgency. American forces captured and imprisoned him from 2006 to 2011. His release coincided with theSyrian Revolution against theBa'athist dictatorship ofBashar al-Assad. Al-Sharaa created theal-Nusra Front in 2012 with the support ofal-Qaeda to topple the Assad regime in theSyrian civil war. Asemir of the al-Nusra Front, al-Sharaa built a stronghold in the northwesternIdlib Governorate. He resistedAbu Bakr al-Baghdadi's attempts to merge al-Nusra Front with theIslamic State, leading to armed conflict between the two groups. In 2016, al-Sharaa cut al-Nusra's ties with al-Qaeda and launched a crackdown on its loyalists. Since breaking with al-Qaeda, he has sought international legitimacy by presenting a more moderate view of himself, renouncing transnationaljihadism against Western nations, and focusing on governance in Syria while vowing to protect Syria's minorities.
Al-Sharaa merged al-Nusra with other organizations to form HTS in 2017, and served as its emir from 2017 to 2025. HTS established atechnocratic administration known as theSyrian Salvation Government (SSG) in the territory it controlled in Idlib Governorate. The SSG collected taxes, provided public services, and issued identity cards to residents, though it faced protests and criticism within Idlib for authoritarian tactics and suppressing dissent. Al-Sharaa launchedan 11-day offensive against the Assad regime in November 2024 which saw swift victories inAleppo,Hama,Homs, andDamascus; Bashar al-Assad fled toRussia as his government fell.
Al-Sharaa became Syria'sde facto leader, heading the post-revolutionarycaretaker government from 8 December 2024 until 29 January 2025, when he was appointed president of Syria at theSyrian Revolution Victory Conference held in thePeople's Palace. As president, he focused on consolidating power, rebuilding state institutions, integrating military factions, and restoring Syria's international relations, including with theU.S.,Russia, and regional powers. Domestically, al-Sharaa pursued economic recovery, security stabilization, thereturn of Syrian refugees to their homes, and minority reconciliation, including signing an agreement with theSyrian Democratic Forces to integrate their military andcivil institutions into the state, though negotiations on integration remained inconclusive. Al-Sharaa's first year as president sawmassacres targeting SyrianAlawites andclashes in southern Syria, both involving government-affiliated troops, which led to criticism. After breaking the1974 agreement,Israel intensifiedits limited invasion of southwestern Syria from theIsraeli-occupied Golan Heights. Al-Sharaa reaffirmed Syria's commitment to the 1974 deal and has opposed renewed conflict with Israel. He has condemned Iranian influence. Al-Sharaa signed aninterim constitution establishing a five-year transition period and announced the formation of atransitional government. In 2025,Time 100 listed him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.[8]
Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa was born on 29 October 1982 in Riyadh to a middle-class family,[9][10][11] of four brothers and two sisters.[12] According to family tradition, the family traced their ancestry back to the Islamic prophetMuhammad.[13] According toThe New York Times, the family discussed politics at home but had no record of involvement inIslamic extremism.[14]
His father,Hussein al-Sharaa, worked there as an oil engineer at theministry of petroleum, and his mother was a geography teacher.[15] The family returned to Syria in 1989, settling in the affluentMezzeh neighborhood of Damascus, where his father opened a real estate office.[16][17] Whilst living in an apartment block in the Mezzeh neighbourhood in the west of the city,[12] al-Sharaa worked part-time as a child in a grocery store owned by his father. He frequented theShafi'i mosque in his neighbourhood, and at the age of seventeen, he became religious,[18] habitually wearing a long tunic and a knitted cap.[19]
According to Hussam Jazmati, who produced his most definitive biography, classmates remember al-Sharaa as a studious but unremarkable boy who wore thick glasses and avoided attention.[15] During his youth, he was described as "bookish",[19] "quiet" and "shy",[9] "manipulatively intelligent" but "socially introverted", and was noted for his "good looks" and a romance with anAlawite girl which both families opposed.[20] In aReuters interview, a local shop owner from Al-Sharaa's neighborhood recalled meeting him in 1996 during his youth. The shop owner described him as a polite and reserved young man who spoke little and was rarely seen in the neighborhood unless necessary. After the rebel takeover of Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa briefly returned to his childhood home, where he was seen politely asking the current occupants if they could leave, stating that the house held personal memories for him. Witnesses say the residents obliged, but al-Sharaa has not been seen there since. Despite his absence, neighbors from the block continue to knock on his door daily, hoping to see him.[12]
Al-Sharaa said that, while he largely disagreed with his father ideologically, they both shared a commitment to defending thePalestinians. Besides the story of his grandfather's and his family'sdisplacement from the Golan Heights, al-Sharaa said that theSecond Intifada in 2000 had an impact on his life choices.[21][22] According to an interview withFrontline in 2021, al-Sharaa stated he was radicalized by the PalestinianSecond Intifada in "the early 2000s."[23] He said: "I started thinking about how I could fulfil my duties, defending a people who are oppressed by occupiers and invaders."[24] In a 2024 interview, when about his reaction to the9/11 attacks, al-Sharaa stated that "anyone who lived in the Islamic or Arab world at the time who tells you he wasn't happy about it would be lying", but added that he understood "regret" about the killing of innocent people.[21]
Mug shot of al-Sharaa in 2006, after his capture by U.S. forces in Iraq
Al-Sharaa traveled from Damascus to Baghdad by bus just weeks before the2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.[24] In 2003, al-Sharaa was detained and questioned by the SyrianMilitary Intelligence Directorate for his illegal departure from Syria to Iraq, but he was released after denying any affiliation to any political parties or extremist groups.[17] Once in Iraq, al-Sharaa quickly rose through the ranks ofal-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).[24]The Times of Israel newspaper claimed in 2013 that al-Sharaa was a close associate of AQI leader,Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[25] In his 2021 interview withFrontline, al-Sharaa denied ever meeting al-Zarqawi and asserted that he served only as a regular foot-soldier under al-Qaeda againstAmerican occupation.[26]The Economist reported in 2025 thatIraqi intelligence believed al-Sharaa was Zarqawi's deputy in 2004.[27]
It is claimed that after Zarqawi was killed in a US airstrike in 2006, al-Sharaa left Iraq and briefly stayed inLebanon, where he provided logistical support to theJund al-Sham jihadist militant group.[25] Before the beginning of theIraqi civil war in 2006, al-Sharaa returned to Iraq to continue fighting.[28] However, he was arrested by American forces while planting explosives[27] and imprisoned for over five years in various detention centres,[29] includingAbu Ghraib,Camp Bucca,Camp Cropper andCamp Taji prisons.[30][31] Al-Sharaa convinced theIraqi authorities holding him that he was a local Iraqi, not a foreign fighter,[27] by speaking in Iraqi-accented Arabic and using apseudonym, Amjad Mudhafar.[19] It is said that during this time, al-Sharaa taughtclassical Arabic to other prisoners, increasing his popularity.[25]
Syrian civil war
Syrian uprising and foundation of al-Nusra
During a routine detention review, Iraqi authorities, finding no charges against al-Sharaa's pseudonym, Amjad Mudhafar, released him on 13 March 2011, days before the beginning of theSyrian Revolution.[19] Al-Sharaa was tasked in August 2011 by al-QaedaEmirAyman al-Zawahiri and al-Qaeda's central command to establish al-Qaeda's mission in Syria.[32][30] The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq,Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, gave him$50,000 (approximately 60 milliondinar) to establish a branch of the group in Syria.[19] Alongside senior operatives from al-Qaeda's central command, he formed "Jabhat al-Nusra", also known as the Al-Nusra Front, which was envisioned by al-Zawahiri as a broad coalition of Islamist militant groups led by al-Shara'a in Syria, with direct allegiance to al-Qaeda's central command.[33] During this time, al-Sharaa went under thenom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, which is sometimes transliterated as Joulani, Jolani, and Golani.[25][34] According to one source, his "al-Julani"nisba referred to the al-Julani neighborhood ofFallujah in Iraq where he had distinguished himself.[35]
Despite tensions with the al-Qaeda-allied leadership of theIslamic State of Iraq (ISI), who were content with his departure, al-Sharaa proceeded to orchestrate an agreement with al-Baghdadi to expandal-Qaeda's Syrian branch,Jabhat al-Nusra. The group maintained this alliance with the ISI until 2013, with an arrangement between al-Sharaa and al-Baghdadi to resolve disputes through mediation by al-Qaeda Emir Ayman al-Zawahiri. Over time, al-Sharaa began distancing himself from transnational jihadist ideology, increasingly framing his faction within the context of a nationalist Syrian struggle.[24] ISI initially provided al-Sharaa with fighters, weapons, and funding to establish the al-Qaeda affiliate inSyria. Al-Sharaa implemented these plans alongside ISI leaders after his release from prison.[36]
Sources differ on whether Sharaa was the one who came up with the idea of forming Jabhat al-Nusra or another leader in the Islamic State of Iraq; however, what is certain is that al-Sharaa became the "general emir" of al-Nusra when it was officially announced in January 2012. By December of that year, the US Department of State designated Jabhat al-Nusra as a terrorist organization, identifying it as an alias for al-Qaeda in Iraq (also known as theIslamic State of Iraq).[37] The US State Department listed al-Sharaa as aSpecially Designated Global Terrorist in May 2013.[38]
Under al-Sharaa's leadership, al-Nusra emerged as one of Syria's most powerful groups.[25] Its stronghold was centered on theIdlib Governorate in northwestern Syria,[39] where they attacked both Syrian government forces and US-supported groups.[19]
War crimes of al-Nusra (2012–2016)
Under al-Sharaa's leadership, al-Nusra Front and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham perpetrated a series ofwar crimes, suicide bombings,forced conversions,ethnic cleansing and sectarian massacres against Syria's Christian, Alawite, Shia and Druze minorities. These included theJanuary 2012 al-Midan bombing, which killed 26 people and wounded 63.[40] In 2015, al-Nusra fighters killed Druze villagers during theQalb Loze massacre.[41][42][43] The Saudi state-ownedAl Arabiya news network claimed that al-Nusra's leadership denounced the attack, asserting that the actions of the attackers were in contradiction to the organization's policy.[44] Al-Nusra was also suspected of carrying out the10 May 2012 Damascus bombings killing 55 people and injuring over 400,[45] and theFebruary 2013 Damascus bombings which killed 83 people, most of them civilians and children, and were condemned by the Syrian opposition.[46]
On 12 May 2016, rebels led by al-Nusra Frontmassacred 42 civilians and sevenNDF militiamen while kidnapping up to 70 people after taking control of the Alawite village ofZara'a in Southern Hama.[48][49]
He is a cunning person; two-faced; adores himself; does not care about the religion of his soldiers; is willing to sacrifice their blood in order to make a name for himself in the media; glows when he hears his name mentioned on satellite channels.
As al-Sharaa carved out a fiefdom in Syria between 2012 and 2013, the Iraqi leadership of ISI grew suspicious of him.[53] Al-Nusra became increasingly popular for providing social services and cooperating with other Syrian rebel groups against theAssad regime, and al-Sharaa ignored al-Baghdadi's orders to begin fighting these groups and assassinate opposition activists.[54] Al-Baghdadi's top aide,Abu Ali al-Anbari, travelled to Syria to investigate al-Sharaa, concluding that he was a "cunning person; two-faced; [...] [who] glows when he hears his name mentioned on satellite channels".[53]
Concerned about al-Nusra's popularity and al-Sharaa's perceived insubordination, al-Baghdadi unilaterally announced that al-Nusra would merge into ISI to form theIslamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in April 2013.[54][55] The proposed merger would have eliminated al-Nusra's autonomy and allegiance to al-Qaeda's central command by placing all its leaders, decisions, and operations underAbu Bakr al-Baghdadi's direct control.[56] To preserve al-Nusra's independence, al-Sharaa publicly pledged allegiance (bay'ah) directly to al-Qaeda's leader,Ayman al-Zawahiri, who issued a declaration that confirmed al-Nusra's independence from ISI,[57][58][59] proclaiming that Syria was the "spatial state" of al-Nusra Front and that ISI's rule was restricted to Iraq.
Al-Zawahiri repudiated al-Baghdadi's merger move, which was announced without consulting or informing al-Qaeda's central command, and appointedAbu Khalid al-Suri as his emissary to mediate between the two groups and supervise the implementation of the accords.[58][60] In late 2013, al-Zawahiri ordered al-Baghdadi to accept the annulment of the merger, who refused and attempted to proceed with it.[55] By February 2014, efforts to end the dispute between ISIS and al-Nusra had failed, leading to al-Qaeda formally severing its ties with ISIS in February 2014 and leaving al-Nusra as the sole representative of al-Qaeda in Syria.[61][57] After the assassination of Abu Khalid al-Suri on 23 February, al-Sharaa denounced ISIS and likened them to the Iraqi "sahawat" who fought against al-Qaeda alongside the U.S., accusing them of undermining the fight against Assad by fighting rebels.[62] Open warfare between ISIS and al-Nusra ensued; al-Sharaa warned that the fighting risked giving a reprieve to Assad.[63][25] Over the following months, ISIS captured much of the territory controlled by al-Nusra and the Syrian opposition,[62] leaving an estimated four thousand fighters on both sides dead by February 2015.[55] In June 2015, al-Sharaa told Al Jazeera that no resolution to the conflict was forthcoming, and that unless ISIS "repent to God and return to their senses", there would be "nothing but fighting between us".[64]
Brief declaration of an Islamic Emirate in Syria (2014)
In July 2014, an audio recording of a major rally of fighters in Syria was leaked, including al-Sharaa, al-Nusra Front spokesman and formerOsama bin Laden aideAbu Firas al-Suri, and al-Nusra deputy Emir and formerEgyptian Islamic Jihad commanderAhmad Salama Mabruk. In it, al-Suri could be heard introducing al-Sharaa as "Abu Mohammad al-Julani", al-Nusra's emir, who then spoke of establishing an Islamic emirate in Syria. In a video released by al-Nusra on 8 August 2014, al-Suri said al-Nusra would declare an emirate in Syria only after consulting with other factions.[65]
Threats against the United States
After the start ofOperation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition's airstrike campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, al-Sharaa, in a rare public declaration, described the airstrikes as anassault on Islam, and warned the Western public: "This is what will take the battle to the heart of your land, for the Muslims will not stand as spectators watching their sons bombed and killed in their lands, while you stay safe in your lands." In his audio message, released five days after the U.S. strikes, al-Sharaa said: "Do not let the West and America take advantage of the injustice of the Islamic State upon you ... Those who are unable to repulse the Islamic State or others, then let them do so without being a partner with thecrusader alliance." Al-Sharaa also warned that al-Nusra will fight any group which takes American cash and weapons, condemning "the traitorous factions that were bought by the West with some money and ammunition so as to be a pawn in its hands."[66] In an audio statement released on 28 September 2014, al-Sharaa stated that he would fight the "United States and its allies" and urged his fighters not to accept help from theWest in their battle against the Islamic State.[67]
Resurgence of al-Nusra
In late May 2015, al-Sharaa was interviewed byAhmed Mansour on Qatari news broadcasterAl Jazeera, hiding his face. He described theGeneva peace conference as a farce and claimed that the Western-backedSyrian National Coalition did not represent the Syrian people and had no ground presence in Syria. Al-Sharaa mentioned that al-Nusra had no plans for attacking Western targets, and that their priority is focused on fighting theal-Assad Syrian government,Hezbollah, and theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Al-Sharaa toldAl Jazeera America in 2015, "Nusra Front doesn't have any plans or directives to target the West. We received clear orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri not to use Syria as a launching pad to attack the U.S. or Europe in order to not sabotage the true mission against the regime. Maybe Al-Qaeda does that but not here in Syria. Assad forces are fighting us on one end,Hezbollah on another and ISIL on a third front. It is all about their mutual interests".[68] When asked about Nusra's plans for post-war Syria, al-Sharaa initially stated that all factions in the country will be consulted before anyone thinks about "establishing anIslamic state," referring to Baghdadi. He also stated that Nusra would not target the country's Alawite minority despite its support for the Assad regime. He continued: "Our war is not a matter of revenge against the Alawites despite the fact that in Islam, they are considered to be heretics", he added.[68] A commentary on this interview, however, states that al-Sharaa also added that Alawites would be left alone as long as they abandon elements of their faith which contradict Islam.[69]
By October 2015, theRussian intervention in the Syrian civil war prompted al-Sharaa to call for increased attacks on Assad strongholds in Alawite villages in retaliation for Russian airstrikes on Sunni areas, saying, "There is no choice but to escalate the battle and target Alawite towns and villages in Latakia."[70] He also called on Muslims from the formerSoviet Union to attack Russian civilians if Russia continued attacking Syrian civilians.[71][72]
Split from al-Qaeda
The Russian entrance into the war led to military setbacks for the Syrian opposition, causing their foreign backers to exert a greater level of influence over them. In January 2016, al-Nusra held unity negotiations with other rebel groups in a bid to pre-empt any foreign attempt to co-opt these groups against it. When the talks collapsed due to concerns over al-Nusra's affiliation with al-Qaeda, the reformist wing of al-Nusra—which may have comprised a third of its overall membership—presented al-Sharaa with an ultimatum: to sever ties with al-Qaeda and merge with other rebel groups, or face a mass defection.[73]
In July 2016, al-Sharaa convened al-Nusra'sShura Council twice to discuss the matter. The first council was inconclusive, while the second council settled on a "middle way" after several meetings: to break ties with al-Qaeda outside of Syria while retaining them inside Syria.[73] As al-Zawahiri could not be contacted, several senior al-Qaeda leaders, including al-Zawahiri's deputyAbu Khayr al-Masri, approved the split contingent on al-Zawahiri later approving it himself.[74][73] If he did not, the split would have to be reversed. Al-Sharaa agreed to these terms, which al-Nusra's Shura Council narrowly approved.[73]
On 28 July 2016, al-Sharaa announced that al-Nusra had severed ties with al-Qaeda and rebranded asJabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS).[75][76] He added that the new organisation would have "no affiliation to any external entity".[77] Ayman al-Zawahiri was publicly supportive of the split,[75] even though he had rejected the plan when it was presented to him.[74] In protest, several leading al-Qaeda loyalists in al-Nusra, including Abu Julaybib, Abu Khadija al-Urduni andAbu Humam al-Shami, left JFS.[73] In September 2016, al-Zawahiri authored a letter that harshly reprimanded al-Sharaa for his "act of disobedience", and admonished al-Masri for giving it his approval. Due to al-Zawahiri's rejection, al-Masri withdrew his support for the split. Al-Qaeda leadersAbdullah Ahmed Abdullah andSaif al-Adel also opposed the split, and al-Sharaa was expected to reverse his decision. However, he refused to do so.[73]
Formation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
After forming JFS, al-Sharaa attempted to arrange a merger withAhrar al-Sham.[78] However, negotiations collapsed due to al-Sharaa supportingJund al-Aqsa—a group that he had secretly established to discourage al-Nusra's foreign fighters from defecting to ISIS—in theirconflict with Ahrar al-Sham. Ahrar al-Sham's leadership was also concerned that JFS continued to maintain ties with al-Qaeda.[73] Meanwhile, al-Sharaa came under attack from al-Qaeda.Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi wrote a critique of themanhaj of JFS, and rumours circulated that al-Qaeda was preparing to launch a new affiliate in Syria named "Taliban al-Sham".[73]
In a last-ditch bid to secure a merger, al-Sharaa led efforts to undermine Ahrar al-Sham's nationalist and anti-merger wing.[73] When Ahrar al-Sham's leadership again refused to merge in December 2017, the pro-merge wing formed a breakaway "sub-faction" namedJaysh al-Ahrar.[78][73] Shortly afterwards, JFS attackedFree Syrian Army (FSA) positions across Idlib and Aleppo, precipitating aconflict with Ahrar al-Sham. The conflict allowed JFS to defeat CIA-backed FSA groups, which it viewed as a "foreign conspiracy".[73]
On 28 January 2017, al-Sharaa announced that JFS would dissolve and merge withLiwa al-Haqq,Jaysh al-Sunna,Ansar al-Din Front and theNour al-Din al-Zenki Movement to formHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),[79][73] gaining approximately 3,000 to 5,000 more fighters.[73] In an effort to demonstrate the maturity of the new group, al-Sharaa arranged for Jaysh al-Ahrar's leaderAbu Jaber Sheikh to serve as the nominal leader of HTS, although leadership was formally transferred back to al-Sharaa by December 2017.[78] The remaining al-Qaeda loyalists in JFS viewed the formation of HTS as a definitive break from the organisation and refused to join. A number of al-Qaeda veterans publicly criticised al-Sharaa for his moves;Sami al-Oraydi condemned it as insubordination against Ayman al-Zawahiri. As a result, several were arrested by HTS towards the end of 2017, including al-Oraydi. After their release, some were involved in formingHurras al-Din, the new Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda.[78]
The U.S. government quickly rejected this rebranding, with the U.S. Embassy in Syria stating that "The core of HTS is Nusra, a designated terrorist organisation. This designation applies regardless of what name it uses or what groups merge into it." The Embassy characterized HTS's formation as an attempt to "hijack the Syrian revolution" rather than a move toward moderation.[80] In May 2017 the US announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of al-Sharaa, who the US State Department said was the leader of a Syrian terror group associated with al-Qaida.[81]
Under HTS, the group prioritized combating al-Qaeda and ISIS in an effort to improve its standing with Western nations. HTS successfully defeated ISIS, al-Qaeda, and most opposing forces in its territory, establishing control over most ofIdlib Governorate, which it administered through the HTS-alignedSyrian Salvation Government.[36][82]
Military situation before the opposition offensives in late 2024. Territories held byHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (white) and the Syrian government (red).
Under al-Sharaa's administration, Idlib had experienced significant development, becoming Syria's fastest-growing region despite being historically its poorest province. The area featured new luxury shopping malls, housing estates, and a round-the-clock electricity supply surpassing that of Damascus. Educational facilities included a university with 18,000 segregated students. However, his administration faced criticism for its taxation policies, including customs taxes on goods from Turkey and checkpoint fees on smuggled goods, as well as the economic impact of the Turkish lira's depreciation, which was the main currency in the region.[83][84]
In February 2023, Idlib Governorate, which was under the control of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), was one of the territories hardest hit by theearthquake.[85] The Assad regime's policy of besieging northwestern Syria, blockading the supply of food, medicines and other humanitarian supplies, has further deteriorated the crisis in Idlib.[86] Al-Sharaa, commander of the SSG-alignedHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia, criticized aid agencies for neglecting Idlib and urged the international community to step up reconstruction and relief efforts, saying, "The United Nations needs to understand that it is required to help in a crisis." He also condemned the Assad regime and Russia for turning Syria "into an [ongoing] earthquake over the past 12 years." When asked about efforts to rebrand HTS, al-Sharaa said, "We have built a government that meets our people's needs, but much more is still required." Regarding the group's ability to support Idlib's displaced population, he admitted, "Our capabilities have reached their limits. We did all we could."[87]
In March 2024, widespread protests erupted inIdlib Governorate against al-Sharaa's rule, with demonstrators adopting the slogan "Isqat al-Julani" ("Down with Julani"), reminiscent of earlier protests against the Assad regime. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of protesters marched through Idlib's cities and towns for over a month. The protests were triggered by multiple factors, including allegations of brutality, with reports of thousands of critics held in prisons, and economic grievances related to high taxes.[83] In response to the unrest, al-Sharaa made several concessions. He released hundreds of detainees from a previous summer's security operation, including his former deputyAbu Maria al-Qahtani, who had been arrested along with 300 others in a purge of his movement. He also promised local elections and increased employment opportunities for displaced persons, while warning protesters against what he termed treachery.[83]
Turkey, which had previously helped stabilize the province by connecting it to its electricity grid and allowing building materials to enter freely, had grown concerned about al-Sharaa's expanding influence. In response, it reduced trade through its border crossings with Idlib, affecting HTS's revenue. Reports indicated that al-Sharaa had twice attempted to take over otherTurkish-administered areas in northern Syria.[83]
In late November 2024, al-Sharaa led HTS in itsDeterrence of Aggression offensive against the pro-Assad Syrian Arab Army.[23][88][89] On 1 December 2024, the magazineAl-Usbu' reported rumours circulating in Arab and social media that al-Sharaa had been killed in a Russian airstrike.[90] This was disproven when he visited theCitadel of Aleppo on 4 December 2024, his forces having captured it earlier that month.[91] During thebattle of Aleppo, al-Sharaa instructed his forces not to "scare children" and HTS channels broadcast footage ofChristians in the city continuing their everyday activities. Archbishop Afram Ma'lui stated that services would not be affected by the change in control. After regime forces were expelled from the city, al-Sharaa declared "diversity is a strength". HTS quickly established administrative bodies to restore basic services, including garbage collection, electricity, and water. The group's GeneralZakat Commission began distributing emergency bread supplies, while its General Organization for Grain Trade and Processing provided fuel to local bakeries. The Ministry of Development and Humanitarian Affairs reported delivering 65,000 loaves of bread under a campaign called "Together We Return".[92]
On 6 December, in a face-to-face interview withCNN, al-Sharaa declared that the offensive's goal was to remove Assad from power. Using his birth name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, he explicitly pledged to protectminority groups and outlined plans for establishing a government grounded in institutions and a "council chosen by the people".[93][94] According to Dareen Khalifa of theInternational Crisis Group, al-Sharaa has considered dissolving HTS to strengthen civilian and military governance structures.[95] He also expressed his intention to facilitate thereturn of Syrian refugees to their homes.[96]
Al-Sharaa with Ukrainian foreign ministerAndrii Sybiha, 30 December 2024
On 8 December 2024, then-Prime MinisterMohammad Ghazi al-Jalali announced that the Syrian government would hand over power to a new elected government following thedeparture of Assad from Damascus, and al-Sharaa announced further that al-Jalali will "supervise state institutions until they are handed over". Al-Jalali later noted toAl Arabiya that he and al-Sharaa had been in contact prior to the announcement to discuss the handover.[98] Al-Jalali announced in a social media video that he planned to stay in Damascus and cooperate with the Syrian people while expressing hope that Syria could become "a normal country" and begin diplomacy with other nations.[99][100] The same day, al-Sharaa delivered a speech at Damascus'sUmayyad Mosque, calling the fall of Assad's regime "a new chapter in the history of the region" and condemning Syria's role as "a playground for Iranian ambitions", characterized by sectarianism and corruption.[94] In his victory speech following the fall of Damascus, he condemnedIran as a source of sectarianism and corruption, and framed the triumph as a turning point for Syria.[94]
Al-Sharaa subsequently became the country'sde facto leader as head of the HTS.[1] On 9 December, HTS released a video of al-Sharaa, al-Jalali andMohammed al-Bashir, the head of thede facto government in Idlib.[101] On the same day, following thefall of the Assad regime, the Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, al-Bashir,[102] was tasked with forming a transitional government after meeting with al-Sharaa and outgoing Prime Minister al-Jalali to coordinate the transfer of power.[103] The next day, he was officially appointed by the Syrian General Command as the prime minister of the caretaker government.[104][105]
Post-Assad governance
On 12 December 2024, al-Sharaa met with Turkish officials, which marked the first diplomatic delegation since Assad's overthrow.[106] On 14 December, al-Sharaa stressed in his statements after the fall of the Assad regime that the next phase will be an opportunity to serve the Syrians and build the future. He explained that there is no justification for anyforeign intervention after the withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria, considering that the "Iranian project" was harmful, and that the victory in Syria is a victory over this project. He also stressed that what happened in Syria was not a coincidence but the result of long preparations. He stated that Russia had become frustrated with the Assad regime and that the change in leadership represented an opportunity for Russia to build a new relationship with Syria. Regarding the Syrian leadership, he pointed out the need to move away from the mentality of revolution and move towards a state of law and institutions.[107][108] Al-Sharaa stated toAl Jazeera Arabic that the choices of governance will be discussed among a group of experts; then, public elections would be held to make the final choice.[109]
Al-Sharaa with Omani Ambassador-at-Large of theForeign Ministry, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Hinai, 11 January 2025
Belarus,North Korea and the partially recognized state ofAbkhazia evacuated their embassy personnel on 15 December.[110] Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy plans to restore relations with Syria under the new administration, which had been cut in 2022 after the Assad regime recognized the quasi-states of theDonetsk People's Republic and theLuhansk People's Republic, which were annexed into Russia later that year.[111]
During this period United States rescinded a seven-year-old $10 million reward offer for information leading to al-Sharaa's capture after he met with a U.S. delegation led byAssistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern AffairsBarbara A. Leaf. This was the first formal US diplomatic presence in Syria in over 10 years. Leaf stated that the meeting was "productive", and later said she "found him to be a very methodical thinker with a strong degree of pragmatism".[112][113] Leaf stated that this action was a political decision aimed at initiating dialogue with HTS, highlighting that al-Sharaa committed during the Damascus discussions not to permit ISIS or other terrorist groups to operate within Syria.[114] In a 2025 interview withPBSFrontline, Leaf said that unlikeHafez al-Assad, al-Sharaa gave "no diatribes, no recitation of 40 years of history."[115]
On 24 December, al-Sharaa announced the dissolution and merger of multiple rebel factions, including the Turkish-backedSyrian National Army, into the interim government's Ministry of Defense. The Kurdish-ledSyrian Democratic Forces were excluded from this consolidation due to ongoing conflicts with Turkish-backed rebels in northeastern Syria. The reorganization coincided with al-Sharaa's efforts to establish new state institutions, including law enforcement and security forces, amid reports of revenge killings and highway banditry. The administration established processing centers for former regime soldiers and initiated police force recruitment.[116] In an interview withal-Arabiya on 29 December, al-Sharaa said that he expected the process of writing a newconstitution of Syria to take two or three years, with elections expected after four years.[117][118][119] On the same day, al-Sharaa announced the promotion of 42 individuals to the rank ofcolonel and five to the rank ofbrigadier general in theSyrian Army. Additionally,Minister of DefenceMurhaf Abu Qasra andChief of the General Staff of theSyrian Armed ForcesAli Noureddine al-Naasan were both promoted to the rank of major general.[120][121]
Al-Sharaa with European CommissionerHadja Lahbib in Damascus, 17 January 2025
On 3 January 2025, German Foreign MinisterAnnalena Baerbock and French Foreign MinisterJean-Noël Barrot became the first top diplomats fromEuropean Union member states to travel to Damascus since the fall of Assad,[122] meeting with al-Sharaa to discuss a new political beginning between Europe and Syria.[123]
On 21 January, al-Sharaa extended his congratulations to U.S. presidentDonald Trump onhis inauguration, expressing confidence in Trump's ability to "bring peace to the Middle East." He highlighted the immense suffering Syria had endured over the past decade due to conflict and expressed optimism that, under Trump's leadership, stability could be restored to the region.[124] On 29 January, a Russian delegation led by Deputy Foreign MinisterMikhail Bogdanov visited Damascus to meet al-Sharaa, reaffirming Moscow's support for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity following the fall of the Assad regime.[125]
Presidency (2025–present)
Al-Sharaa in 2025
Presidency of Ahmed al-Sharaa 29 January 2025 – present
Al-Sharaa with Azerbaijani presidentIlham Aliyev, 12 July 2025
Al-Sharaa gave a brief speech during the conference, outlining the government's immediate priorities: filling the power vacuum, maintaining civil peace, building state institutions, developing the economy, and restoring Syria's international and regional standing.[128] Other world leaders, includingVladimir Putin,Justin Trudeau,Ilham Aliyev, andMohamed Ould Ghazouani, congratulated al-Sharaa on his appointment as president.[129][130][131][132]
Early actions
On 30 January 2025, a day after al-Sharaa's appointment as president, Qatari EmirTamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the first head of state to visit Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime, discussing post-conflict reconstruction in Syria and other topics.[133] and on 8 February, a delegation from theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, led by Director-GeneralFernando Arias, visited Damascus to meet with al-Sharaa for the first time since Assad's overthrow.[134]
On 12 February, al-Sharaa held a phone call with Russian presidentVladimir Putin, in what was the latter's first contact with a Syrian head of state since Assad's overthrow.[135] On the same day, al-Sharaa met with representatives of theSyrian National Coalition and theSyrian Negotiation Commission, including their respective presidents,Hadi al-Bahra andBader Jamous, and it was announced that both organizations would dissolve within the new authorities.[136][137]
On 17 February, al-Sharaa made his first official trip to the coastal provinces ofLatakia andTartus, former strongholds of ousted president Bashar al-Assad.[138] On 21 February, he met with China's ambassador to Damascus,Shi Hongwei, the first official interaction between the two nations since Assad's overthrow.[139] On 23 February, Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu demanded the complete demilitarization of southern Syria in the provinces ofQuneitra,Daraa andSuwayda,[140] and withdrawal of Syrian forces from Syrian territory south of Damascus.[141]
Al-Sharaa rejected Netanyahu's demands.[142][143] Hours later, Israel conducted a wave of airstrikes in Damascus and southern Syria.[144] Israeli Defense MinisterIsrael Katz characterized al-Sharaa as "a jihadist terrorist from the Al-Qaeda school, committing atrocities against the Alawite civilian population."[145] On 18 April, Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas met with al-Sharaa in Damascus, his first visit to Syria since 2009, where they discussed strengthening bilateral ties, regional developments including Gaza and the two-state solution, and agreed to form joint committees for cooperation.[146][147] On 6 June, al-Sharaa visitedDaraa Governorate for the first time since the fall of the Assad regime, coinciding withEid al-Adha. The site of the first protests against Assad, Daraa is widely known as the "cradle of the revolution".[148][149]
On 27 August 2025, al-Sharaa inaugurated the 62ndDamascus International Fair, the first to be held since the fall of the Assad regime.[150] The event brought together around 850 local and international companies from 22 countries.[151]
Domestic policy
As president, al-Sharaa signed an agreement withDruze representatives fromSuwayda Governorate on 11 March 2025. The agreement integrated the community into state institutions while granting certain concessions, including the formation of locally recruited Druze police forces and the recognition of their distinct cultural identity.[152]
On 17 May, al-Sharaa signedPresidential Decrees No. 19 and No. 20, appointingAbdulbaset Abdullatif andMohammad Reda Jalkhi as heads of the commission. They were given 30 days to form a working team and draft the internal regulations required for the commission's operation, leading to the establishment of theNational Commissions for Missing Persons andTransitional Justice.[153][154] On 13 June, al-Sharaa signed Presidential Decree No. 66, creating an 11-member Supreme Committee to oversee the formation of sub-committees that will elect two-thirds of the People's Assembly.[155]
On 13 March, al-Sharaa signed aninterim constitution for a transitional period of five years.[158] The Constitution sets apresidential system with the executive power at the hands of the president who appoints the ministers,[159] without the position ofprime minister.[160] This constitution enshrines Islamic law as the main derivation ofjurisprudence while preserving freedoms of opinion and expression.[161] ThePeople's Assembly was established to serve as the parliament during the five-year transition, overseeing the drafting of a new permanent constitution.[162]
Protest inCologne, Germany, against the Alawite massacres in Syria, March 2025
By 6 March 2025, clashes broke out in Western Syria betweenAssad loyalists and the Syrian caretaker government forces. It was the worst violence to have occurred since rebels toppled the Assad regime.[163] In a speech addressing the Syrian people on 8 March, al-Sharaa stated: "Some remnants of the fallen regime attempted to test the new Syria they do not understand. Today, they see it as united, from east to west, from north to south, ...".[164] Condemning the attacks against police forces, hospitals and civilians by Assadist insurgents,[164] al-Sharaa said: "You attacked all Syrians and made an unforgivable mistake. The riposte has come, and you have not been able to withstand it."[165] He demanded that they surrender their arms "before it's too late." He stated that he would "continue to work towards monopolizing weapons in the hands of the state, and there will be no more unregulated weapons."[166]
Al-Sharaa urged pro-government fighters to "avoid any abuses" after reports emerged of massacres of Alawite civilians inLatakia.[167] On 9 March, al-Sharaa announced the formation of an independent national committee comprising seven judges to investigate the events and violations in the Syrian coastal areas, emphasizing that the committee must submit its findings to the president within 30 days. He described the coastal violence as part of the "expected challenges."[168][169] On 10 March, al-Sharaa condemned the recent mass killings of Alawite Muslims, emphasizing that such violence threatens national unity. He pledged to hold all perpetrators accountable, including those within his own ranks, stating, "We won't accept that any blood be shed unjustly, or goes without punishment or accountability, even among those closest to us." Al-Sharaa attributed the initial violence to pro-Assad groups backed by foreign entities but acknowledged subsequent revenge attacks. He reiterated his commitment to uphold the rule of law and prevent the nation from descending into sectarian conflict.[170]
United States Special EnvoyTom Barrack met with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, May 2025. The US mediated 10 March agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government.
On 10 March 2025, al-Sharaa signed an agreement withMazloum Abdi, the commander of theSyrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to integrate the SDF into state institutions and bringnortheastern Syria under central government control. The agreement includes a ceasefire, the merging of military forces, and the transfer of border crossings, airports, and oil fields to the control of the Syrian state.[174] It also recognizes theKurdish community as an essential part of Syria, ensuring their constitutional rights and citizenship protections.[175] The deadline for the merger has been set for the end of 2025.[176] As of August 2025, negotiations on integration remained inconclusive.[177][178]
In July 2025, there were armed clashes between SyrianDruze andBedouin in Suwayda. The Syrian military was deployed to restore order and clashed with some of the militants involved. TheIsraeli Air Force said it struck Syrian tanks in the area as a "warning" to the new Syrian government.[179] On 16 July, theIsraeli Defense Force bombed the entrance to theSyrian military headquarters in Damascus as a warning, citing security concerns over the Syrian army's deployment to Suwayda to restore order amid theJuly 2025 southern Syrian clashes.[180] Heavier strikes targeted the Syrian military headquarters complex and caused vast damage and destruction to the main building, later strikes targeted the vicinity of thePeople's Palace in Damascus.[181][182] In the evening of 16 July, theSyrian army began withdrawing from Suwayda. A statement by the Syrian Ministry of Defense said the withdrawal came after the army had completed operations against "outlaw groups" in the city. State news agencySANA reported the pullout was in line with the deal reached between the government and Druze religious leaders.[183] Airstrikes were also conducted by Israel on the same day on multiple targets across theSuwayda andDorra governorates, including theal-Tha'lah Military Airbase and other military targets.[184][185][186]
Shortly after the ceasefire was put in effect, al-Sharaa addressed Syria, stating the government's priority to protect Druze citizens as Israel continues its assaults on Syria. He said "We reject any attempt to drag you into hands [sic] of an external party... We are not among those who fear the war. We have spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people, but we have put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction." He further criticised Israel for its attacks on government and civilans and expressed gratitude for American, Turkish and Arab mediators for de-escalating the conflict, "The Israeli entity resorted to a wide-scale targeting of civilian and government facilities," he said, adding this led to a "significant complication of the situation and pushed matters to a large-scale escalation, except for the effective intervention of American, Arab, and Turkish mediation, which saved the region from an unknown fate".[187]
Crackdowns on corruption
On 20 August 2025, al-Sharaa rebuked over 100 loyalists over corruption and arriving in luxury vehicles. On 6 October 2025, al-Sharaa shut down a business office owned by one of his brothers, Jamal al-Sharaa, as part of an anti-corruption crackdown.[188]
TheReuters investigation revealed thatHazem al‑Sharaa was supervising a covert economic committee tasked with restructuring Syria's economy following the fall of Ba'athist regime. The economy had been severely damaged by years of corruption and international sanctions.[195] The committee operated under pseudonyms and was reported to be led by Hazem al‑Sharaa alongside an Australian businessman operating under the alias "Abu Mariam al‑Australi".[h] The latter was identified as Abraham Succarieh, anAustralian of Lebanese descent who had been sanctioned by Australian authorities for alleged terrorism financing.[195]
According toReuters, the committee discreetly took control of or negotiated private settlements worth approximately US $1.6 billion in assets owned by Assad-era businessmen, including stakes in major firms such as the country's leading telecom operator. To avoid judicial disruption and to preserve economic continuity, the committee reportedly offered immunity in exchange for cash payments and corporate control, a strategy criticized for effectively replacing one oligarchy with another.[195] Though not holding any formal public office related to the restructuring effort, Hazem al‑Sharaa is said to have overseen the operation. He was also reported to be poised to manage a newly established sovereign wealth fund created by Ahmed al‑Sharaa in early July 2025, which would report directly to the presidency.[195]
On 7 May 2025, he met with PresidentEmmanuel Macron in France. It was his first official visit to aWestern country since becoming president.[208][209] On 14 May, hemet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia, the first meeting between American and Syrian presidents sinceBill Clinton and Hafez al-Assad convened in Geneva in 2000,[210] and urged him to join theAbraham Accords.[211] Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman and Turkish presidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan took part in the meeting.[212]
Al-Sharaa with Russian presidentVladimir Putin, 15 October 2025
On 15 October, he met President Vladimir Putin in Russia, declaring Syria's intention to "redefine" its relations with Russia while reaffirming existing agreements, meanwhile Putin praised Syria'srecent elections and expressed support for continued cooperation.[217] During the meeting with Putin, al-Sharaa requested theextradition of Bashar al-Assad to Syria.[218]
On 29 October, he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Kosovan PresidentVjosa Osmani in Saudi Arabia, during which Syria officially recognized the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, following a trilateral meeting in Riyadh that included officials from Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Kosovo.[219][220]
In November 2025, al-Sharaa arrived in Brazil to attend the2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, marking the first time a Syrian president has participated in the annual climate summit since its establishment in 1995.[221] On 10 November, al-Sharaa met U.S. PresidentDonald Trump in theOval Office, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to theWhite House since Syria gained independence in 1946.[222] Speaking to reporters, Trump praised Sharaa as a "strong leader" and voiced confidence in him. "We’ll do everything we can to make Syria successful," he said.[223]
Promising "continued sanctions relief," the Treasury Department announced a new order to replace its May 23 waiver on enforcement of the 2019 Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping sanctions over human rights abuses under Assad.[223]
Since 2011, several countries and international bodies have imposed sanctions on Syria under Bashar al-Assad's rule, mainly due to the regime's violent crackdown on civilians during thecivil war.[224][225]
In an interview withThe New York Times in April 2025, al-Sharaa stated that the sanctions should be permanently lifted, as they were imposed on theAssad regime. He noted that the sanctions were damaging his government and slowing economic recovery.[226]
The following month, Trump and theEuropean Union communicated intentions to relax sanctions against Syria.[227][228] On 23 May, the Trump administration lifted a wide range of sanctions.[229] On 30 June, Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions imposed by the United States against Syria except those linked to the Assad family and their associates and related institutions.[230]
In an interview withThe New York Times in April 2025, al-Sharaa said that Syrian officials requested Russia to extradite Assad as a condition for allowing their military presence in Syria, but Russia refused.[232]
In a September 2025 interview with60 Minutes, al-Sharaa said he still intends to pursue justice againstBashar al-Assad through legal means.[233]
In aFox News interview on 10 November 2025, al-Sharaa said that Russia has a different view on sending wanted individuals back to Syria, but he stressed that justice must be carried out through atransitional justice committee to ensure accountability for all perpetrators, including Assad.[234] In a November 2025 interview withTheWashington Post, al-Sharaa said that the issue of Bashar al-Assad remains sensitive for Russia, with Syria's relationship with Moscow still in its early stages, and emphasized that "Syria will preserve its right to demand Assad's trial."[235]
In an interview withAl Arabiya, al-Sharaa spoke about his ambitions for Syria's economic development. Al-Sharaa said that Syria needs 'experts who know the country's assets and try to benefit from all the experiences of the world, so as to come up with something that suits the nature of the society.' He said that after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, there are 'major investment and economic opportunities', and that Saudi Arabia has a very large role in Syria's economic development. He also pointed to a major investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries that can implement joint economic projects with the new Syrian administration. Regarding the sanctions imposed on Syria, al-Sharaa said he had hoped the incoming U.S. administration, led by then-president-elect Donald Trump, would lift them.[236] He said one of his top priorities is to rebuild the economy by issuing a new currency after the value of thecurrent currency is stabilised.[237]
In an interview with theBBC, al-Sharaa discussed his plans and said that Syria is not like theTaliban. He said that their way of leading the country is different because Afghanistan has atribal system, while the people and way of thinking in Syria are not the same. He also stated that the Syrian government will follow its own history and culture in its governance.[238]
In his first interview as president on 9 February 2025, al-Sharaa toldThe Economist reporters that he opposed afederal system in Syria. He also mentioned that Turkey was planning a full-scale operation in the north against Kurdish forces but had asked them to wait to allow fornegotiations. In response to a question about whetherSharia law could be implemented, he stated, "That decision rests with the experts. If they approve it, my duty is to enforce it; if they reject it, my duty is to uphold their decision as well." When asked if Syria would become ademocracy, he responded, "In our region, there are various definitions of democracy. If democracy means that the people decide who will rule them and who represents them in parliament, then yes, Syria is moving in that direction."[239]
In an interview withThe New York Times in April 2025, al-Sharaa stated that his government was considering granting citizenship to foreign fighters who had lived in Syria for many years and supported the revolution. Furthermore, he said they were negotiating with Turkey and Russia regarding their military presence in Syria and suggested that both countries might eventually provide military support to his government.[226]
On 27 May 2025, during the "Aleppo, the Key to Victory" event celebrating theSyrian revolution and theliberation of Aleppo, al-Sharaa exhorted the Syrian people to help reconstruct the country: "Our war against tyrants has ended, and our battle against poverty has begun."[240]
In an interview withThe Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles on 28 May 2025, al-Sharaa acknowledged that foreign powers will continue to influence Syria's path. However, he emphasized that true Syrian sovereignty must begin with internal unity.[241]
In a September 2025 interview with60 Minutes, al-Sharaa said elections would be held once Syria's infrastructure and citizens' records are restored. He stated that he wants Syria to be a place where every person can vote.[242] He added that rebuilding Syria is a top state priority and emphasized the need for international support.[243] He said Syria has reshaped its political identity after years of isolation and is now pursuing balanced relations with theWest, the U.S., and regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, adding that its calm and stable ties with Russia and China, built on shared strategic interests, align rather than conflict with its relations with Western nations.[244]
In a November 2025 interview with TheWashington Post, al-Sharaa said Syria is emerging from a long war and decades of dictatorship and is in a transitional phase. He compared the country's rebuilding to the long recovery after theU.S. Civil War. He also said that some groups push their own interests and seek autonomy by claiming threats to their sect or creed, adding, "In Syria, we have been living in coexistence with different groups and different religious communities for 1,400 years. We're still here, and we still have that diversity."[235]
Al-Sharaa has stated that he believes in a commitment to defending thePalestinians, and that his family'sdisplacement from the Golan Heights as well as theSecond Intifada in 2000 had a strong impact on his life choices.[21][23] During a speech to HTS fighters in January 2018, he stated "If Allah wills it we will reach not only Damascus, but Jerusalem awaits us as well."[245][246][247]
In an interview with theSyria TV news channel regarding the ongoing Israeli invasion of Syria, al-Sharaa said that after the fall of the Assad regime, Israel no longer has "any excuses" for attacking Syrian territory. He emphasized that diplomacy was the only way to ensure security and cautioned against "ill-considered military adventures".[248][249] Al-Sharaa reportedly told a group of journalists that HTS would continue to uphold the 1974Disengagement of Forces Agreement that ended theYom Kippur War between Syria and her allies against Israel.[250] In an interview withThe New York Times in December 2024, he reaffirmed Syria's commitment to the Agreement.[251] He stated, "Israel intended to enter Syria under the pretext of the Iranian presence, and its pretext has now ended."[252]
On 14 December 2024, al-Sharaa clarified that his administration was not interested in engaging in a new conflict with Israel, emphasizing that Syria's priority was rebuilding after years of war. He noted that the country's deteriorating situation did not permit further hostilities and that maintaining state stability was paramount. al-Sharaa stressed that diplomatic solutions were the only viable path to ensuring security and long-term stability in the region.[253]
On 11 February 2025, al-Sharaa stated in an interview withThe Rest Is Politics that Trump'sproposed United States takeover of theGaza Strip would not succeed, asserting that no power can drive people from their land. He noted that many countries have tried and failed, especially during therecent war in Gaza.[254] His statement came after a joint press conference in which Trump used strong language, declaring that the U.S. would "take over the Gaza Strip; we'll own it."[255]
On 4 March 2025, at the extraordinary Arab League summit on Gaza, al-Sharaa condemned calls for the forced displacement of Palestinians, calling them a threat to all Arabs.[256]
In an interview with theJewish Journal on 28 May 2025, al-Sharaa addressed Syria's future relationship with Israel. He said, "I want to be clear: the era of endlesstit-for-tat bombings must end. No nation prospers when its skies are filled with fear. The reality is, we have common enemies, and we can play a major role in regional security."[241]
On 26 August 2025, al-Sharaa said his country would not join theAbraham Accords, stressing that its dispute with Israel is very different from the conflicts experienced by other Arab nations.[257]
"Israeloccupied the Golan Heights in order to protect Israel, and now they are imposing conditions in the south of Syria in order to protect the Golan Heights. So after a few years, maybe they will occupy the center of Syria in order to protect the south of Syria. They will reachMunich on that pathway[...]"
In a September 2025 interview with60 Minutes, al-Sharaa said Syria poses no threat and called Israeli strikes on the People's palace "a declaration of war." He warned that Israel's provocations could drag Syria into war and push U.S. allies to seek alternatives. He urged Israel to withdraw from areas seized after 8 December 2024, and said Syria has made no provocations or threats toward Israel. He added that "the currentIsraeli government isextremist and guided byexpansionist doctrines," believing that "Israel has the right to establish a larger state than it is now and seeks to expand into Gaza and theWest Bank, then north and south." He also said Israel refuses to allow the return ofUN forces to the 1974 disengagement lines and is trying to impose "a new format for the security arrangement." He emphasized that Syria seeks a peaceful solution protecting itsterritorial integrity and rightful claim to theoccupied Golan heights, warning that Israel's expansionist ambitions could impact Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, and Egypt, and reshape regional alliances.[243][259]
In aFox News interview on 10 November 2025, al-Sharaa said that Syria's situation is different from other signatories because it borders Israel, which has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967. He added that theTrump administration could help Syria make a security agreement with Israel or return to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.[260][261] In a November 2025Washington Post interview, al-Sharaa said that Syria is negotiating directly with Israel and has made good progress, but a final agreement requires Israel to return to its pre–8 December borders. He added that the United States and many other international parties, including Trump, support Syria's position while working to reach a solution quickly.[258]
Views on Iran
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Ahmed al-Sharaa has made several statements regardingIran's involvement in Syria. For many years, Syria and Iran maintained a strategic alliance, Damascus serving as a key component of the 'Axis of Resistance'.[262] In an interview withAsharq Al-Awsat published 20 December 2024, al-Sharaa asserted that under Bashar al-Assad, Syria became a platform for Iran to exert influence over major Arab capitals, expand conflicts, and destabilizeGulf nations through activities such as drug trafficking, including thedistribution ofCaptagon. He described Iran's regional ambitions as detrimental and framed the developments in Syria as a setback for Iran's influence in the region. "What we have done and achieved with the least possible damage and losses," he stated, adding that "the Iranian project in the region has been set back 40 years."[263] In February 2025, al-Sharaa condemned Iran and its Axis of Resistance as a "strategic threat to the entire region".[264]
Personal life
Not much is known about al-Sharaa's personal life, which he is careful not to share with the media. In 2012,Time reported that in one of the meetings of prominent armed groups attended by the leaders ofAhrar al-Sham,Suqour al-Sham,Liwa al-Islam, and other brigades, al-Sharaa wore a mask, refusing to reveal his identity, and was introduced to the attendees by the Front's emirs in Aleppo and Idlib.[265]
The U.S. Special Envoy for Syria,Tom Barrack, warned of a possible assassination attempt against al-Sharaa due to his efforts to build ties with the West and promote inclusive governance.[275] On 12 June 2025,L'Orient–Le Jour reported that al-Sharaa escaped two assassination attempts by jihadist groups for rejecting their ideology.[276] On 27 June 2025, al-Sharaa was the target of aHezbollah and ISIS-backed assassination attempt. It was planned to be carried out in the Daraa Governorate, but was foiled before it could be executed.[277] However, the government denied reports of the assassination that was planned to be carried out in Daraa.[278] On 16 July 2025,Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel'sMinister of National Security, openly called for al-Sharaa's assassination, referring to al-Sharaa as the "head of the snake" and stating that "the only thing that can be done is to eliminate al-Julani."[279]
On 10 November 2025, Syria thwarted two attempts on al-Sharaa's life by ISIS.[280][281]
Documentary
On 1 June 2021,PBSFrontline released a documentary,The Jihadist, investigating al-Sharaa's past in the context of the ongoing Syrian civil war.[282] In the interview, reflecting on his past affiliation with al-Qaeda, onU.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and thePalestinian cause, al-Sharaa commented in the interview:
The history of the region and what it went through over the past 20 or 30 years needs to be taken into consideration... We are talking about a region ruled by tyrants, by people who rule with iron fists and their security apparatuses. At the same time, this region is surrounded by numerous conflicts and wars... We can't take a segment of this history and say so-and-so joined Al Qaeda. There are thousands of people who joined Al Qaeda, but let us ask what was the reason behind these people joining Al Qaeda? That's the question. Are the U.S. policies after World War II toward the region partially responsibility for driving people towards Al Qaeda organization? And are the European policies in the region responsible for the reactions of people who sympathize with the Palestinian cause or with the way the Zionist regime deals with the Palestinians?.. are the broken and oppressed peoples who had to endure what happened in Iraq, for example, or in Afghanistan, are they responsible..?.. our involvement with Al Qaeda in the past was an era, and it ended, and even at that time when we were with Al Qaeda, we were against external attacks, and it's completely against our policies to carry out external operations from Syria to target European or American people. This was not part of our calculations at all, and we did not do it at all.[36]
Bibliography
OnJihadist online forums, there are essays and articles attributed to al-Sharaa under the name "Abdullah Bin Muhammad", includingThe Strategy of the Regional War.[283]
See also
Abd al-Rahman al-Maghribi – Moroccan al-Qaeda memberPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
^Following thefall of the Assad regime, al-Sharaa served as Syria'sde factoleader as the emir of theHay'at Tahrir al-Sham, general commander and head of the new Syrian administration until 29 January 2025, when he was appointed President of Syria by the Syrian General Command.[1][2][3]
Zeidan, Adam (2 February 2025)."Ahmed al-Sharaa".Encyclopædia Britannica.Archived from the original on 3 February 2025.Before replacing Assad as the de facto leader of Syria, Sharaa went by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.
^"Interview-Abu Mohammad al-Jolani".PBS Frontline. 2 April 2021.Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved16 January 2023.Most of the information available on the internet is false... No, I didn't meet Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was mostly present in Fallujah and Ramadi and around this region, and I was in Mosul during that time. I was a regular soldier. I wasn't involved in any major operations that I would meet al-Zarqawi.
^Klausen, Jytte (2021). "11: The ISIS Effect".Western Jihadism: A Thirty-Year History. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 399.ISBN978-0-19-887079-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^Klausen, Jytte (2021). "11: The ISIS Effect".Western Jihadism: A Thirty-Year History. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 399.ISBN978-0-19-887079-1.In August 2011, the new emir of Al Qaeda, Bin Laden's old second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Al Qaeda's central command sent Abu Mohammad al-Julani to set up a mission in Syria.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^Klausen, Jytte (2021). "11: The ISIS Effect".Western Jihadism: A Thirty-Year History. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 399.ISBN978-0-19-887079-1.Al-Julani and a cadre of experienced operatives from the Al Qaeda high command set upJabhat al-Nusra, also known in English as the Nusra Front, which was supposed to function as a united front organization for the various jihadist fighter groups. ... The Nusra Front was, following al-Zawahiri's vision, supposed to work as a broad front organization and high command for aligned fighter groups in the area... In other words, al-Julani was the boss directly answering to al-Zawahiri's HQ{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^Klausen, Jytte (2021).Western Jihadism: A Thirty-Year History. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 399.ISBN978-0-19-887079-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^"غارات "إسرائيلية" تستهدف مدينة درعا" ["Israeli" Airstrikes Target the City of Daraa].Iraq Observer (in Arabic). 16 July 2025.Archived from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved16 July 2025.
^al-Mustapha, Hamza (2014). "From Formation to Dissension".The Al-Nusra Front: From Formation to Dissension. Doha:Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. p. 7.JSTORresrep12643.the Jihadist online forums treat the writings of Abdullah Bin Muhammad as the writings of Abu Muhammad al-Julani himself.
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