Exclusive Report from Syria: The Enemy, ISIS and al-Qaeda, Is Now the Government
Former extremist and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Julani, also known as Ahmad al-Sharaa, is now the de facto leader of Syria. By U.S. Department of State – https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/54805624658/ , Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=175448645
In an interview with The Gateway Pundit, Aram Hanna, a senior commander in the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), offered a striking revelation about Abu Mohammad al-Julani—the man now ruling much of Syria.
“Yes, he fought ISIS,” Hanna said. “But he was fighting to be the leader.”
That statement underscores a chilling reality: the man who today controls Damascus and seeks international recognition as Syria’s rightful leader was once a key figure within the same terror networks that nearly created a global caliphate.
“To be the leader of ISIS, not to defeat them,” Hanna repeated. “This is a fact.”
From Terror Apprentice to Ruler of Damascus
Al-Julani, born Ahmad al-Sharaa, began his militant path under the command of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in al-Qaeda in Iraq. When Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, he was sent to form a local branch—Jabhat al-Nusra—in early 2012. The group quickly became one of the most powerful Islamist factions in Syria.
When Baghdadi tried to merge al-Nusra with his Islamic State of Iraq to create ISIS, Julani refused, pledging loyalty instead to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The split sparked violent clashes between ISIS and al-Nusra, fracturing the global jihadist movement.
By 2016, Julani rebranded al-Nusra as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, and later consolidated several militant factions under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Today, Julani and HTS dominate large swaths of Syria, including Damascus, presenting themselves as a governing body while maintaining deep ideological ties to ISIS and al-Qaeda.
The Rise of the SDF: A Coalition for Freedom
While Julani built his Islamist power base, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) emerged in the north as a multi-ethnic coalition determined to destroy ISIS and build a free, unified Syria.
Formed in 2015 with U.S. backing under President Trump’s administration, the SDF became the most effective local force against ISIS, leading the campaign that ultimately crushed the terror group’s territorial strongholds by early 2019.
The SDF is not a Kurdish-only force—it is an alliance of Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians, and Turkmen. At its core is the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), but leadership and ranks are shared across ethnic and religious lines.
Aram Hanna, a 32-year-old Armenian Syrian Christian and member of the SDF General Command, embodies that diversity. “We want to live as free Syrians,” Hanna said. “Each person with his own identity, language, and celebrations. That’s what we have now in our areas.”
A Vision for a United Syria
The SDF’s vision contrasts sharply with the Islamist rule in Damascus. In territories controlled by al-Julani, minorities are marginalized, and women’s rights are heavily restricted under a strict interpretation of Islam—echoing the extremist practices of ISIS and al-Qaeda.
In Rojava, however, the SDF promotes inclusive governance. Women serve in both front-line combat and leadership roles, and official documents are issued in three languages—Arabic, Kurdish, and Assyrian—to reflect the population’s diversity.
“We don’t want the Kurds to make everyone Kurdish or the Syrian government to make everyone Arab,” Hanna explained. “We can live together, each person with his identity, his rights, his language, and his culture.”
He emphasized that the SDF does not seek to divide the country: “Syria should not be divided. We want one united Syria that ensures a good life for all its people.”
The Road Ahead
Despite al-Julani’s current control, Hanna doubts his reign will endure. “Most Syrians—Sunnis, Druze, Kurds, Christians, and Alawites—don’t see him as a legitimate leader,” he said. Even within Sunni-majority areas such as Hama and Aleppo, many reject Julani’s Islamist rule.
Still, Syrians know that Julani’s fall could reignite chaos and internal conflict. In Rojava, however, the people remain steadfast. Kurds, Christians, and Arabs continue to defend their region, holding out hope that a fair, democratic government in Damascus will one day bring equality and peace to all Syrians.
Until then, they stand ready to protect their freedom—and the future of their homeland.
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