Hayat Tahrir al-Sham claims victory over Assad in Syria after military campaign

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has gained prominence after successfully overthrowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The group, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, declared Damascus free of Assad following a rapid military campaign that began on November 27. Jolani, who previously led al-Nusra Front, has sought to distance HTS from al-Qaeda to avoid Western sanctions. The group has merged with other Islamist factions in northwest Syria, establishing a civilian government and asserting control over Idlib province. Despite accusations of human rights abuses, Jolani has promised to protect minority groups and maintain security in liberated areas. He emphasized a commitment to avoid revenge attacks and stated that HTS has no intention of using chemical weapons.