René Wildangel

The militia leader Ahmed al-Jolani chose the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus as a highly symbolic stage for his first speech as the new Syrian ruler, 9 December 2024.Photo: IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Al-Jolani, HTS and the future of Syria

René Wildangel takes a look at who exactly are the Islamists that drove Syrian dictator Assad from the country.