Following the startling breakdown of government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, rebel militants took control of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, in just three days.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the most potent armed opposition movement in Syria, spearheaded the operation.
As his troops attempt to bolster their hold on Aleppo and seize additional Syrian territory, he is now in the forefront.
Here’s a closer look at al-Golani:
As the founder of HTS, al-Golani has nearly a decade sought to dissociate himself from other armed forces and their focus on transnational operations, switching instead to focusing on creating an “Islamic republic” in Syria.
