Abu Mohamed al-Jolani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), captured a selfie during a press conference at the Bab al-Hawa crossing in northern Syria in early March this year. AFP File Photo
Syria's rebels announced on Sunday that the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, had reached Damascus just hours after fighters had taken control of the capital, declaring that they had removed President Bashar al-Assad. The statement, released on Telegram and identifying him by his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, mentioned that he had "knelt down prostrating to God in thanks" upon his arrival in the Syrian capital.
Syrians awoke to a transformed nation on Sunday, as rebels swiftly advanced into Damascus less than two weeks into a rapid offensive, proclaiming they had overthrown the "tyrant" Assad, whose current location remains unknown after reports suggested he had fled Syria. A statement read on Syrian state television, which had been seized by the rebels, quoted Jolani as stating: "We continue to work with determination to achieve the goals of our revolution... We are determined to complete the path we started in 2011".
That year, Assad's regime responded harshly to peaceful pro-democracy protesters, igniting a multifaceted conflict that attracted foreign armies and jihadists. The televised statement declared that "we will not cease fighting until all the rights of the great Syrian people are secured. The future is ours and we are advancing towards victory."
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