Abu Mohammed al-Golani leads insurgent group following Assad's fall in Syria

Abu Mohammed al-Golani leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group that played a key role in the recent fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. HTS, previously known as the Nusra Front, distanced itself from Al Qaeda in 2016 and has been dominant in the Idlib region. Al-Golani, also known as Ahmad al-Sharaa, has worked to reshape his image, promoting governance and pluralism. He recently declared Assad's fall a victory for the Islamic nation and emphasized the need for a more inclusive governing system in Syria. The U.S. still designates HTS as a terrorist organization and has a $10 million bounty on al-Golani. A senior White House official stated that the U.S. will support Syrians in determining their future but did not indicate plans to lift the terrorist designation.