-
From Veil to Suit.. Continuous Transformation in "Tahrir al-Sham" Leader's Appearance
-
HTS leader's appearance change from veil to suit represents attempt to shed extremist Al-Qaeda-linked past

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, received Lebanese leader Walid Jumblatt on Sunday, wearing a black suit with tie, in a new attempt to polish his organization's image.
This change in Abu Mohammad al-Jolani's appearance reflects a political maneuver matching his tactical shifts over years, as Jolani emerged when establishing Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch under the name Jabhat al-Nusra in 2012, hiding behind military dress and veil, deliberately concealing his identity, matching his role as leader of an extremist terrorist group amid the Syrian crisis.
Jabhat al-Nusra's early emergence in 2012 was marked by Jolani confirming his allegiance to Al-Qaeda, declaring commitment to the extremist organization's approach. Jolani avoided showing his face in 2013 during his first TV interview, only showing his shoulder from behind wrapped in black scarf, confirming his identity linked to terrorist organizations.
After three years, Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch announced changing its name to "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" in attempt to formally dissociate from the parent organization, where Jolani appeared on camera for first time in military uniform with thick beard and white turban.
Jolani quickly conducted a TV interview in civilian clothes, trying to justify his extremist ideas and rejecting his classification as terrorist despite his bloody history.
Jolani established the so-called "Syrian Salvation Government" in 2017 after his organization controlled Idlib, beginning to appear at public events abandoning extremist appearances, attempting to present himself as a "political leader."
Jolani's speeches in recent years showed pragmatic shift, speaking in 2021 about coexistence with Syrian components, ignoring his organization's history of targeting minorities. His statements became more adaptive with Assad regime's fall, appearing in Aleppo Castle in modern appearance days before entering Damascus.
After controlling Damascus, Jolani abandoned military uniform, receiving Jumblatt in black suit with green tie symbolizing new Syrian flag, seeking to polish his organization's image before international community.
Researcher Aaron Lund from Century International believes Jolani and his organization's transformations are notable, but they "remained somewhat hardline," adding to Reuters: "It's a PR campaign, but the fact they're making this kind of effort at all shows they're not as hardline as they used to be, the old school of Al-Qaeda or ISIS would never do this."
Syria expert Joshua Landis, head of Middle East Studies Center at University of Oklahoma, explained that "Jolani is smarter than Assad, he changed his tools and appearance, and established new alliances" with minorities, ignoring the danger of Al-Qaeda branch's continued control over wide areas in Syria.
Levant-Agencies
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!