Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, Former Al Qaeda Leader Of Syrian Rebels Who Don't Want To Threaten The West

The home of civilians in Atarib City, west of Aleppo, was destroyed by artillery fire and rockets of Syrian government forces supported by Russia and Iran. (X @SyriaCivivilDef)

JAKARTA - Nearly half a century ago, the President of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar al-Assad has faced attempts to overthrow various armed rebel groups, including Al Qaeda.

During that time, Abu Mohammed al-Golani only served as the commander of the Al Qaeda wing named Front Nusra who did not stand out, and was never even considered the main focus in public.

But now, the name al-Golani, 42, is one of the main centers of attention in Syria.

Since cutting ties with Al Qaeda in 2016, al-Golani has been able to change the image of the rebel group he leads to control Syria's largest city, re-enhancing the country's persistent civil war, and raise new questions about the extent of President Bashar al-Assad's current rule?

This spotlight was clearly seen when the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS led by al-Golani seized Aleppo City last week.

As HTS entered Aleppo to control Syria's largest city, al-Golani appeared to be wearing military uniforms while giving orders to protect civilians and barring his men from entering civilian homes.

Al-Golani seemed very clear in sending an imaging message to convince residents who had long been afraid of jihadists.

On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, al-Golani visited Fort Aleppo, accompanied by a rebel waving the flag of the Syrian revolution, a symbol that was once considered an insult to Al Qaeda now adopted by al-Golani to attract sympathy for the Syrian opposition.

On that occasion, al-Golani sent a message to Christian citizens in the south of Aleppo that his group would not disturb the property of the population. Al-Golani also asked them to stay at home and reject the Syrian government's "psychological war".

"Golani is smarter than Assad. He has changed tactics, he has changed appearances, gained new allies, and appeared with his offensive charm against minorities," said Syrian geopolitical expert and Head of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma United States (US), Joshua Landis, quoted by Reuters.

A researcher at the Century International think-tank agency, Aron Lun, said al-Golani and HTS had been transorated or changed. However, he believes the rebel group is still in the hard line.

"It was just an image, but the fact that the effort shows that they are no longer my age. Al Qaeda is old or ISIS will never do that," he said.

Al-Golani's Beginning With Al Qaeda

Al-Golani's relationship with Al Qaeda began in 2003, when he joined the extremist group fighting US forces in Iraq.

Al-Golani was later recorded to have been detained several times by the US military, but remains in Iraq. During that time, Al Qaeda seized groups of militants with similar delogies and then formed Islamic States of Iraq and Syam (ISIS), led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

In 2011, the uprising against President Assad in Syria sparked a crackdown by the government that led to an all-out civil war.

Al-Golani's ability led al-Baghdadi to send him to Syria to establish the Nusra Front, which is the country's official Al Qaeda branch.

In 2013, as the escalation of civil war in Syria escalated, al-Golani's ambitions also increased. He opposes al-Baghdadi's unilateral efforts to merge the Nusra Front with Al Qaeda operations in Iraq in the formation of ISIS.

Between al-Golani and his old ally al-Baghdadi went to war. ISIS was then defeated in Syria and Iraq by opposing groups, including the military coalition of a number of US-led countries.

Although the Nusra Front took part against ISIS, the US continues to label the terrorist al-Golani. The US thinks the Nusra Front plans to overthrow the Assad government, adopt Islamic sharia in Syria, and masterminds of a number of suicide attacks.

In his first interview in 2014, al-Golani while covering his face told Al-Jazeera about it. He emphasized the goal of his group in Syria to form a country based on Islamic law and emphasized that there is no room for the minority of Alawi, Shiah, Druze, and Christians in the country.

He also rejected political negotiations in Geneva to end the conflict in Syria.

The group led by al-Golani later changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and cut ties with Al Qaeda in mid-2016.

When ISIS really collapsed, al-Golani emphasized full control of the split militant groups. A year later, his alliance Jabhat Fateh al-Sham changed its name again to HTS followed by the joining of a number of divided extremist groups.

However, the merger attempt led to clashes because it was opposed by other independent Islamic militant groups. This condition actually strengthens the position of HTS as an iron-ruled militant group in northwestern Syria.

Changes In Figures

With its consolidated strength, al-Golani transformed. He replaced his military uniform with a shirt and trousers, and began calling for religious tolerance and pluralism.

Al-Golani approached the Druze community in Idlib, which was previously targeted by the Nusra Front, and visited Kurdish families killed by Turkish-backed militias.

In 2021, al-Golani conducted his first interview with a US journalist from the Public Broadcasting Service.

Wearing a blazer, with his short hair sealed back, the now quiet HTS leader emphasized that his group never wanted to be a threat to the West and the terrorist label dropped against him was unfair.

"Yes, we have criticized Western policy," said Golani, quoted from France24.

"But to wage a war against the United States or Europe from Syria, that's not true. We didn't say we wanted to go to war," he continued.