Syria’s new most strong man has, up to now, gone by two names: his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, and the one he was given at birth, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
And as the international security correactent Jason Burke elucidates, it is notable that since his militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, toppled Bashar al-Asdowncast nine days ago he has reverted back to Sharaa – an try, seemingly, to downcarry out his Islamist past and repromise the country that its next rulement will be run for all Syrians think aboutless of ethnicity or faith.
But there is a lot to downcarry out. As Michael Safi hears, Jolani has spent much of his life in some of the region’s most notorious extremist groups, and while his rule in the Syrian region of Idlib before this tardyst insolent was relatively vient, it was cut offe and draconian too.
Jolani claims he has reassociate recreateed – but should he be apshowd? And if not, what does it unbenevolent for Syria after Asdowncast?
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