Six months ago, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, was a global terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head.
He was a former member of al-Qaeda in Iraq and founded Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s Syria branch, in 2012.
By May 14, he met U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh after the U.S. lifted sanctions on Syria.
Jolani's group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), captured Damascus in December 2024, overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad's government.
He has received support from Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and has met with leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron.
The lifting of U.S. sanctions opens doors for Syria to join the global economy and attract foreign investments.
Sharaa has invited American companies to invest in Syria’s oil and gas sectors and expects money for reconstruction from wealthy Arab nations.
However, there are concerns about the kind of Syria he and his Islamist allies will create, despite his promises to respect the rule of law, women’s rights, and minority protections.
Since HTS took control, there have been violent attacks on minority groups, such as Alawites, Druze, and Kurds, raising fears of sectarian violence and instability.
To ensure Syria’s recovery, Sharaa must work on internal stability, end extremist groups, and establish an inclusive constitution that protects all citizens’ rights.
If these challenges are not addressed, Syria could face a future similar to that of Libya or Afghanistan.
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