Nadene Goldfooet
Fighters from HTS train in Idlib Province, Syria.Photo: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a Salafi-jihadist militant group active in Syria. It emerged from the al-Qaeda terrorist affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, during the Syrian civil war. HTS is now the de facto governing body in northwestern Syria, particularly in the Idlib province, and has publicly distanced itself from al-Qaeda. The group has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the US State Department.
It was formed on 28 January 2017 as a merger of several armed groups: Jaysh al-Ahrar, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Ansar al-Din Front, Jaysh al-Sunna, Liwa al-Haqq and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement. That's 6 different movements with 6 possible vying leaderships wanting to go in 6 different ways. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS or the “Organization for the Liberation of the Levant”) traces its beginnings to the outset of the Syrian civil war and has remained a dangerous opposition force throughout the duration of the conflict.
- HTS was formed in 2017 as a merger of several Islamist militias, including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra). Jabhat al-Nusra, in turn, was an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.
- While retaining a Salafi-jihadist ideology, HTS has publicly shifted its focus from global jihad to a more localized Syrian context. They've engaged in a public relations campaign to present themselves as a legitimate governing authority in Idlib.
- HTS has established itself as the dominant force in Idlib, controlling territory and providing some governance functions.
- Despite attempts to rebrand, HTS faces accusations of human rights abuses and continued violence against civilians.
- Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS or the “Organization for the Liberation of the Levant”) traces its beginnings to the outset of the Syrian civil war and has remained a dangerous opposition force throughout the duration of the conflict.Abu Mohammed al-Jolani spoke to supporters at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus hours after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. Now Jolani is the President of Syria.
- In May 2018, the group was added to the State Department’s existing designation of its predecessor, the al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Today, HTS can be thought of as a relatively localized Syrian terrorist organization, which retains a Salafi-jihadist ideology despite its public split from al-Qaeda in 2017. This backgrounder provides an overview of the history, leadership, and current strategic goals of HTS.
- Jabhat al-Nusra: HTS’s precursor organization, was formed in Syria in 2011 as al-Qaeda’s affiliate within the opposition to the Assad regime. Nusra’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, quickly established a capable organization, which secured its own donors in the Persian Gulf, collected revenue from taxation and asset seizures in the territories under its control, became adept at conducting insurgent attacks, and attracted a growing number of fighters.
- Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), effectively took over Syria following a rapid rebel offensive that culminated in the toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, according to PBS and ABC News. This offensive began in late November and involved a series of swift victories in key cities, including the capture of Damascus. Following the regime's collapse, HTS-appointed figures, including al-Jolani, assumed leadership roles in the newly formed interim government.
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- Hamas and the Assad regime in Syria have had a complex and at times strained relationship. Hamas sided with the Syrian opposition during the early years of the Syrian Civil War, leading to a rupture in relations and Hamas leadership leaving Damascus in 2012. After a period of estrangement, Iran and Hezbollah facilitated the reconciliation between Hamas and the Syrian government, with ties formally resuming in 2022.
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