Rebel forces around the world have challenged empires and reshaped notions of power, freedom, and justice. These movements have inspired both hope and fear, and have left behind legacies that still shape our global politics today.
The most powerful of these rebel groups in Syria is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), also known as the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant. Its founder, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, was a commander for Al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, before publicly breaking with the global terror network to form HTS in 2016. The United States and others have designated HTS a foreign terrorist organization, and placed a $10 million bounty on Jolani’s head.
HTS has surprised many with its rapid progress in Syria, sweeping down from its northwest strongholds to seize Aleppo and then push deeper into a swath of the country. As it moves toward Homs, a key Assad regime target, residents of the city are fleeing. The group’s leader, however, has a message for them: “Your time is up,” he wrote in a Telegram post.
Despite the rapid military gains by HTS, a number of challenges threaten its long-term stability. One is the lack of substantial support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, which have historically been Assad’s most important supporters in Syria. Another is internal discontent among the group’s fighters, who complain about low pay and corruption. And a third, the threat of attacks by Turkey and its Kurdish proxies.