From Radical Extremist To Credible Statesman; How Muhammed Al Julani Tries Shuffling Cards In West Asia (X image @avdvllah_)

Damascus, Syria: While all eyes were on the fragility of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, having a furrowed-brow conversation on what might happen next, Abu Muhammed al-Julani decided to reshuffle some cards in West Asia. The opposition rebels in Syria attacked its army in Aleppo. Before Syrian military wrapped their heads on what actually happened, Aleppo, the country’s second largest city, slipped through their hands. Leading the group was Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the chief of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria’s most powerful opposition.

For decades, Julani sought to portray himself as a more moderate leader than the extremist he was branded as. He had a dramatical entry after the capture of Aleppo. Clad in khaki shirt and trousers, he came in his white jeep, waved at the swarm of supporters, and returned. There were no weapons in sight, and no blood was shed. It was perceived as a prelude to what happened to Damascus on Sunday.

Julani tried to reboot himself from a radical extremist to a credible statesman over the years. He had sought to dissociate himself from other armed forces and place HTS’ focus on transnational operations, switching instead to focusing on creating an “Islamic republic” in Syria.

Born in 1982 in Riyadh, Julani’s original name was Ahmed Hussain al-Sharaa. His family was displaced in 1967 from Syria’s Golan Heights, when Israel captured the region during the six day war. His father worked as a petroleum engineer. At the age of seven, he returned to Syria with his family, and settled near Damascus.

He moved to Iraq in 2003, weeks before United States invasion of the country. He he joined al-Qaeda in Iraq as part of the resistance to the US invasion. In 2006, he was arrested by US and was in prison for five year. He was also taken to the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.

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Later Julani was tasked with establishing al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, al-Nusra Front, which grew its influence in opposition-held areas, especially Idlib. He coordinated with the head of al-Qaeda’s “Islamic State in Iraq” (ISIS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

When Baghdadi announced in 2013 that his group was cutting ties with al-Qaeda and would expand into Syria, effectively swallowing al-Nusra Front into a new group called ISIL, Julani dissented. He maintained his allegiance with al-Qaeda.

While giving his first televised interview in 2014, Julani told Al Jazeera that Syria should be ruled under his group’s interpretation of “Islamic law” and the country’s minorities, such as Christians and Alawis would not be accommodated. But as years passed, he appeared less radical, and started to distance himself from al-Qaeda’s desire of establishing a “global caliphate” in all Muslim-majority countries.

In 2015, he stated that unlike ISIS, he do not have any intention to fight the West. He also said that he do not have any intention to take a revenge fight on the minority community of Alwite – Al-Assad’s community – if the al-Assad regime was ever to fall.

Instead, he started focusing on building up his group within Syria. In 2016, he broke off from al-Qaeda, and started Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, and was placed in Idlib. Reportedly, the move was also taking away West’s opportunity to attack his group in the name of what al-Qaeda does. In 2017, thousands of fighters poured into Idlib fleeing Aleppo and al-Julani announced the merging of a number of those groups with his own to form HTS. Aleppo was under the Bashar al-Assad regime.

He said that the aim of HTS was to liberate Syria from Assad’s autocratic government, “expelling Iranian militias” from the country and establishing a state according to their own interpretation of “Islamic law”, as per Centre for Strategic and International Studies think-tank in Washington, DC.

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In a 2021 interview given to Frontline, Julani said he was radicalised by the Palestinian Second Intifada. He started slanting towards Al Qaeda after the 9/11 attack. “I started thinking about how I could fulfil my duties, defending a people who are oppressed by occupiers and invaders”, he told Frontliners.

Julani sought to adopt a path that made him appear more of a credible stateman, than a radical extremist.

Under Julani, HTS developed a civilian government and established a semblance of a state in Idlib province, while crushing its rebel rivals.

The group faced accusations from residents, activists, and journalists of brutal abuses against those who dared dissent, which the UN has classed as war crimes.

As his faction continued capture Hama, Hamo, and Damascus after Aleppo, he repeated his group to not to harm minorities, children or public institutions. He offered assurance to the religious and ethnic minorities will be protected.

It appears that Julani wants to present HTS as a credible governing body. He also wants to place is a possible partner in global counterterrorism efforts. He even told Russia – which has been major international backer of al-Assad regime – that he is ready for talks to maintain relationship.

HTS is currently labelled as a “terrorist organisation” by the UN, US, European Union, and Turkiye. Julani called the name unfair since his group has renounced its past allegiances in favour of a national one.

A clear picture what Julani and his faction do with Syria is not shown yet. What does the group has in store for Iran and its proxies is also most sought after question after the takeover.