REBEL TO RULER

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who has reverted to his original name Ahmed al-Sharaa, was appointed Syria's interim president on January 29. Jolani, who leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly affiliated with AI Qaeda, played a key role in the swift takeover of Syria in early.

- AJISH P. JOY

December, bringing an end to the decades-long rule of the Assad family.

Jolani faces the complex task of uniting Syria's fragmented political factions and restoring ties with international actors, which have been strained by years of conflict. Another challenge is to rebuild the war-torn economy.

To bolster his legitimacy, Jolani is actively seeking to distance himself from his militant past; he has discarded his combat attire and has begun talking to foreign diplomats. This strategic shift has yielded some results: the United States recently announced the cancellation of a $10 million bounty on his head, and has eased certain humanitarian restrictions. Similarly, the European Union, too, has lifted certain sanctions against him.