Jabhat al-Nusra li-Ahl al-Sham (the Support Front for the People of the Levant) was established in Syria in 2012 by Abu Muhammad al-Julani, dispatched by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State in Iraq. Unlike ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra concealed its Al-Qaeda affiliation, presented itself as a Syrian organisation, and avoided the most extreme sectarian rhetoric. It became one of the most militarily effective opposition factions. When ISIS claimed authority over Jabhat al-Nusra in April 2013, Julani refused the merger and pledged loyalty to Al-Qaeda central under Zawahiri. In July 2016, Julani announced a formal break with Al-Qaeda, rebranding as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Further consolidations produced Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in January 2017, which subsequently established de facto governance over Idlib province. Under Julani, HTS underwent a remarkable evolution: expelling extreme foreign jihadists, presenting itself as a Syrian nationalist movement focused on governance, and avoiding spectacular atrocities that would invite the international military response that destroyed ISIS. In November–December 2024, HTS launched the offensive from Idlib that captured Aleppo within days and ultimately brought down the Assad regime.
Reading time:
1–2 minutes
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