Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and head of the coalition, announced plans to disband all armed rebel factions in Syria. Speaking from the Presidential Palace, Sharaa emphasized that fighters would be integrated into the Defense Ministry under state authority as part of efforts to build a unified and functioning government. “All will be subject to the law,” Sharaa stated, stressing the need for a social contract to ensure justice and unity in Syria’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.
Born Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa in 1982 in Saudi Arabia, Jolani joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003 to resist the U.S. invasion. He was later detained in U.S. prisons before returning to Syria in 2011, where he led Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda branch in Syria.#Syria #HTS #Jolani pic.twitter.com/oTxe8Haiv1
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 12, 2024
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In a meeting with the minority Druze community, Sharaa reaffirmed that Syria would remain united and ruled by law. Separately, during discussions with a British delegation, he called for the lifting of international sanctions, arguing they targeted the previous regime and now hinder Syria’s recovery. Sharaa stated that sanctions must end to enable the return of millions of displaced Syrians, a priority for the new government.
European countries, including the UK, Germany, and France, suspended asylum application processing for Syrians, citing uncertainty about the new leadership. France raised its flag at its Damascus embassy, which had been closed for 12 years. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced plans to reopen the European delegation in Damascus, offering to support the restoration of essential services while warning of the risk of an Islamic State (IS) resurgence in eastern Syria.
HTS, which has roots in al-Qaida and remains proscribed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., UK, and UN, faces scrutiny over its past human rights abuses. Sharaa’s outreach to international delegations and pledges to protect minorities are viewed as attempts to rehabilitate HTS’s image and secure recognition for the new leadership.
The regional power vacuum has also drawn attention from Israel. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited southwestern Syrian territory, including parts of Mount Hermon, which Israeli forces captured following Assad’s fall. This marked Israel’s first military push into the area beyond the Golan Heights buffer zone in decades.
🇮🇱 WATCH: PM Netanyahu just visited the “Syrian” side of Mount Hermon.
From Tel Aviv to Mount Hermon, Israel stands tall, unshakable, and undefeated. The enemies who thought they could break us on October 7th are now seeing our leaders on their side of the border. pic.twitter.com/v4bcoiJfCU
— Jews Fight Back 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JewsFightBack) December 17, 2024
Simultaneously, former President Assad, who fled to Russia, released a statement via Telegram denying claims of a last-minute escape, stating, “My departure was neither planned nor during the final hours of the battles.”
