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From rebel commander to interim president
A year after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, his successor-once a feared jihadist commander-now leads a fractured nation. Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, rose to power after his militia, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), swept from Idlib to Damascus in late 2024. What began as a lightning offensive ended with Assad's regime collapsing like a house of cards, leaving Syria's future in the hands of a man once allied with al-Qaeda.
The pragmatist and the hardliners
Sharaa's transformation from militant leader to statesman has been as rapid as it is controversial. Once imprisoned by U.S. forces in Iraq and later a senior figure in the group that became Islamic State (IS), he later broke ties with both IS and al-Qaeda, positioning himself as a pragmatic leader capable of uniting Syria's warring factions. His critics, however, remain unconvinced. Jihadist hardliners brand him a traitor, while minorities-Christians, Druze, and Alawites-view his past with deep suspicion.
In an interview last December at the presidential palace, Sharaa, dressed in a tailored suit rather than combat fatigues, insisted his government would rule for all Syrians. Yet his authority remains limited. The Kurdish-controlled northeast and parts of the south, where Druze militias seek autonomy, operate beyond Damascus's reach. On the Mediterranean coast, Alawites-Assad's sect-fear reprisals after decades of dominance under the former regime.
Diplomatic wins and domestic challenges
Abroad, Sharaa's charm offensive has yielded results. Within weeks of taking power, he met U.S. President Donald Trump, who later praised him as a "young, attractive, tough guy." The U.S. scrapped a $10 million bounty on his arrest and suspended sanctions under the Caesar Act. By November, Sharaa became the first Syrian leader to visit the White House, where Trump playfully sprayed him with branded cologne-a moment that underscored the thaw in relations.
Saudi Arabia and Western governments now see Sharaa as Syria's best hope for stability. A senior diplomat told The Meta Times that while the risk of civil war persists, Sharaa's leadership offers a fragile path forward. Yet at home, sectarian tensions simmer. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) reported that violence-including killings, arbitrary detentions, and forced evictions-has surged over the past year, particularly against Alawite, Druze, and Christian communities.
Massacres and mistrust
Last March, Alawite areas erupted in violence after pro-Assad fighters retaliated against government forces, leaving 1,400 dead, including women and children. While the UN found no evidence that Sharaa's government ordered the attacks, it warned that Damascus struggles to control armed Sunni factions within its ranks. In July, clashes between Druze and Bedouin communities in Suweida province spiraled into a crisis, forcing Israel to intervene with airstrikes that nearly destroyed Damascus's defense ministry. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire barely averted further escalation.
Israel's shadow over Syria
Israel has exploited Syria's chaos, launching airstrikes to dismantle remnants of Assad's military and occupying territory in the Golan Heights. Tensions flared in November when Israeli forces raided the border village of Beit Jinn, killing 13 civilians and wounding dozens. The IDF claimed it targeted militants planning attacks, but Damascus condemned the raid as a war crime. Khalil Abu Daher, a villager wounded in the attack, recounted the horror: "They shot my two daughters. One died instantly; the other was hit in the hip." His 17-year-old daughter, Hiba, was among the dead.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded Syria demilitarize a large swath of its south-a non-starter for Damascus. U.S. efforts to mediate have stalled, leaving Syria's sovereignty in question. Trump, while praising Sharaa's stabilization efforts, warned Israel against actions that could destabilize Syria further.
A fragile future
Sharaa's government has survived its first year, but Syria remains a patchwork of competing interests. Sanctions are easing, and business deals are reviving the economy, yet most Syrians see little change. Umm Mohammad, the mother in Beit Jinn, voiced the despair of many: "We have nothing-no schools, no safety, no future. Our children live in hell."
The Assad era is over, but Syria's wounds run deep. Without accountability, reconciliation, or a functional government, the risk of renewed conflict looms. As Sharaa navigates the tightrope between diplomacy and domestic unrest, one question lingers: Can a former jihadist heal a nation still at war with itself?
