Rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) has recently seized control of Damascus, the capital of Syria, leading to the departure of long-standing dictator Bashar al-Assad, who sought refuge in Russia. This significant development marks a turning point in the country's tumultuous history.
Here are some key facts about HTS:
- The group, also known as the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, was established by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a former al Qaeda fighter with experience in Iraq. Jolani founded Jabhat al-Nusra, al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, before breaking away from the organization in 2016 due to ideological differences and opposition to ISIS. Subsequently, he formed HTS in early 2017.
- Despite Jolani's attempts to distance HTS from al Qaeda and ISIS, the United States and several Western nations designated the group as a terrorist organization in 2018, offering a substantial bounty of $10 million for Jolani's capture.
- While HTS has taken control of Damascus, various other factions hold territory in Syria. These include the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, with Turkey viewing certain elements of the latter as a terrorist entity.
The situation in Syria remains complex and volatile, with competing factions vying for power and influence. The rise of HTS in Damascus underscores the ongoing challenges facing the war-torn nation and the shifting dynamics within the region.
