In a lightning-fast offensive by the opposition forces, the Syrian government astonishingly brought an end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family.
According to The Wall Street Journal, to understand the five things about the main leader of the opposition forces behind this operation in the Syrian capital, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, you need to know the following.
Firstly, Jolani is the leader of “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” one of the largest armed opposition groups attacking the Assad regime.
Secondly, he split from ISIS in 2012 and severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. Since then, he has engaged in bloody confrontations with both organizations, both of which are recognized as terrorist groups by the United States.
Thirdly, the 42-year-old Jolani transformed his Islamic organization into a disciplined fighting force, blending ideologies of Islamic and nationalist values.
Fourthly, after his army launched a swift offensive to capture Aleppo, he issued an order to protect Christians and Alawites and instructed his subordinates not to retaliate.
“In the future of Syria, we believe that diversity is our advantage, not a disadvantage,” he said.
Fifthly, it is currently unclear to what extent Jolani’s transformation is genuine, and whether his call for moderation is to gain trust from Syrians and Western countries as he seeks to replace the Assad regime.
Upon the army’s entry into the capital Damascus, Jolani has ordered opposition fighters not to attack any public or service institutions.
The report states that for a power dynasty that ruled Syria with an iron fist for half a century, cracked down on peaceful protests in 2011 sparking years of civil war and one of the most severe humanitarian crises today, this is a dramatic moment.
With the lightning attack by the opposition forces only starting a week ago, Assad’s massive government army has crumbled.
The military support from Iran and Russia is crucial for the survival of this 59-year-old dictator, but now both countries are preoccupied with their own war conflicts and have no time to attend to Syria.