Editing Ahmed al-Sharaa

{{Villain_Infobox
|image = Abu Mohammed al-Julani.jpg
|fullname = Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a
|alias = Abu Mohammad al-Julani<br />The Conqueror Sheikh
|origin = Daraa, Syria
|occupation = Emir of [[Tahrir al-Sham]] (2017 - present)<br />Emir of [[Al-Nusra Front]] (2012 - 2017)
|type of villain = Terrorist
|goals = Continue waging jihad in Syria (ongoing)<br />Overthrow the government of [[Bashar al-Assad]] (ongoing)
|crimes = [[War crimes]]<br />[[Terrorism]]<br />[[Sectarianism]]<br/>[[Xenophobia]]<br/>[[Anti-Semitism]]<br/>[[Persecution of Christians]]

|hobby = }}{{Quote|The weapons of the revolution and jihad are a red line on which concessions are unacceptable, and they will never be put on the negotiations table. We urge our people in Aleppo to remain steadfast. The mujahideen will not fail you.|Abu Mohammad al-Julani, January 2017}}
'''Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a''' (Arabic: أحمد حسين الشرع‎), known by the ''nom de guerre'' '''Abu Mohammad al-Julani''' (Arabic: أبو محمد الجولاني‎), is a Syrian jihadist militant who currently serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian [[Militant Islam|militant Islamist]] group [[Tahrir al-Sham]]; he was also the emir of its predecessor organisation [[al-Nusra Front]], the Syrian branch of [[al-Qaeda]]. The US State Department listed Al-Julani as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in May 2013,<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/05/209499.htm Terrorist Designation of Al-Nusrah Front Leader Muhammad Al-Jawlani], U.S. State Department</ref> and four years later announced a $10 Million reward for information leading to his capture.<ref>[http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/05/10/US-offers-10M-reward-for-information-on-al-Nusra-leader/5921494432213/ U.S. offers $10M reward for information on al-Nusra leader], ''UPI''</ref>

The phrase "Al-Julani" in his ''nom de guerre'' is a reference to Syria's Golan Heights, partially occupied and annexed by Israel during the war in 1967. Al-Julani released an audio statement on 28 September 2014, in which he stated he would fight the "United States and its allies" and urged his fighters not to accept help from the West in their battle against [[ISIS]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/28/world/meast/isis-syria-iraq-strikes/index.html U.S. and its allies strike ISIS tank, refineries and checkpoints], ''CNN''</ref>

==Biography==
Once al-Julani moved to Iraq to fight American troops after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he quickly rose through the ranks of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and reportedly was a close associate of its leader, [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]]. After al-Zarqawi was killed by a US airstrike in 2006, al-Julani left Iraq, briefly staying in Lebanon, where he offered logistical support for the [[Jund al-Sham]] militant group. He returned to Iraq to continue fighting but was arrested by the US military and held at Camp Bucca. At that camp, where the US military held tens of thousands of suspected militants, he taught classical Arabic to other prisoners.<ref name=TOI>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/elusive-al-qaeda-leader-in-syria-stays-in-shadows/ Elusive Al-Qaeda leader in Syria stays in shadows], ''The Times of Israel''</ref>

After his release from Camp Bucca prison in 2008, al-Julani resumed his militant work, this time alongside [[Abu Bakr al-Baghadi]], the head of the then Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). He was soon appointed head of ISI operations in Nineveh Governorate.<ref name=TOI/>

Shortly after the uprising against the government of Syrian president [[Bashar al-Assad]] began in 2011, al-Julani played a lead role in planning and enacting a mission, as part of Islamic State of Iraq, to move into Syria and form a sub-branch of the organisation called Jabhat al-Nusra. This group was to act as a front for the Islamic State of Iraq, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to whom he had his allegiance and whose command he was under. Al-Julani's formation of Jabhat al-Nusra was facilitated by men, arms and money given to him by the ISI under the orders of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It is disputed whether al-Julani originally formulated the plan or if it came from another leader in Islamic State of Iraq. Julani was declared the "general emir" of al-Nusra, which was first announced in January 2012. By December 2012, the US Department of State declared Jabhat al-Nusra to be an officially designated terrorist organisation, noting that it was simply a new alias for Al-Qaeda In Iraq (aka Islamic State of Iraq).<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/12/201759.htm Terrorist Designations of the al-Nusrah Front as an Alias for al-Qa'ida in Iraq], U.S. State Department</ref> Under al-Julani’s leadership, Nusra grew into one of the most powerful rebel groups in Syria.

Al-Julani gained prominence in April 2013, when he refused al-Baghdadi's attempt to liquidate Al-Nusra as a sub-group and incorporate it directly into ISI, under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This move would have removed all local autonomy of Jabhat al-Nusra and placed all leaders, decisions, and actions directly under the control of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In order to avoid losing autonomy and the individual identity of Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Julani directly pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda’s leader [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]], who supported al-Julani's request to break away his group as an independent entity.<ref>[http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/78961-al-nusra-commits-to-al-qaida-deny-iraq-branch-merger/ Al-Nusra Commits to al-Qaeda, Deny Iraq Branch 'Merger'], ''Agence France Presse''</ref>

In late May 2015, during the Syrian [[Civil War|civil war]], al-Julani was interviewed by Ahmed Mansour on Qatari news broadcaster Al Jazeera, hiding his face. He described the Geneva peace conference as a farce and claimed that the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition did not represent the Syrian people and had no ground presence in Syria. Al-Julani mentioned that al-Nusra have no plans for attacking Western targets, and that their priority is focused on fighting the Syrian regime, [[Hezbollah]], and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Al-Julani is credited with saying that the "Nusra Front doesn’t have any plans or directives to target the West. We received clear orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri not to use Syria as a launching pad to attack the U.S. or Europe in order to not sabotage the true mission against the regime. Maybe Al-Qaeda does that but not here in Syria. Assad forces are fighting us on one end, Hezbollah on another and ISIL on a third front. It is all about their mutual interests".<ref name=AlJazeera>[http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/5/28/syria-al-qaeda-leader-our-mission-is-to-defeat-regime.html Syria Al-Qaeda leader: Our mission is to defeat regime, not attack West], ''Al Jazeera''</ref>

When asked about al-Nusra's plans for a post-war Syria, al-Julani stated that after the war ended, all factions in the country would be consulted before anyone considered "establishing an Islamic state". He also mentioned that al-Nusra would not target the country's Alawite Muslim minority, despite their support for the Assad regime. "Our war is not a matter of revenge against the Alawites despite the fact that in Islam, they are considered to be heretics".<ref name=AlJazeera/> A commentary on this interview however states that al-Julani also added that Alawites would be left alone as long as they abandon elements of their faith which contradict Islam.<ref>[http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/abu-mohammed-al-golanis-aljazeera-interview-by-aron-lund/ Abu Mohammed al-Julani's Al Jazeera Interview]</ref>

On August 18, he received the support of [[Hamza bin Laden]], son of [[Osama bin Laden]] in a video message produced by the Al-Qaeda's network "Al-Sahab media".

In October 2015, al-Julani called for indiscriminate attacks on Alawite villages in Syria. He said, "There is no choice but to escalate the battle and to target Alawite towns and villages in Latakia".<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11927760/Syrias-Nusra-Front-leader-urges-wider-attacks-on-Assads-Alawite-areas-to-avenge-Russian-bombing.html Syria's Nusra Front leader urges wider attacks on Assad's Alawite areas to avenge Russian bombing], ''The Daily Telegraph''</ref> al-Julani also called for Russian civilians to be attacked by former Soviet Muslims.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151019030919/http://news.yahoo.com/syrias-al-qaida-says-russia-launching-crusader-campaign-072924991.html Russian Embassy shelled in Syria as insurgents hit back], ''Yahoo News''</ref>

On 28 July 2016, al-Julani announced in a recorded message that Jabhat al-Nusra would henceforth go under the new name of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. As part of the announcement al-Julani stated that the rebranded group has "no affiliation to any external entity". While some analysts have interpreted this to mean breaking away from Al-Qaeda, the group was not specifically mentioned in the announcement, and al-Julani did not renounce his oath of allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri.<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/07/analysis-al-nusrah-front-rebrands-itself-as-jabhat-fath-al-sham.php Analysis: Al Nusrah Front rebrands itself as Jabhat Fath Al Sham], ''FDD<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Long War Journal''</ref>

In the summer of 2020, al-Julani made frequent public appearances around Idlib in an attempt to gain support from the population. Video output by HTS-affiliated media increased significantly throughout mid-2020, multiple videos being published daily, showing governance videos, distribution of taxations in rural villages, frontline videos, and Julani meeting with local militia groups.

==References==
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Fighter]]
[[Category:Leader]]
[[Category:Warlords]]
[[Category:Terrorists]]
[[Category:Evil vs. Evil]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Fanatics]]
[[Category:Mongers]]
[[Category:Wrathful]]
[[Category:Vengeful]]
[[Category:War Criminal]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Anarchist]]
[[Category:Chaotic Evil]]
[[Category:Cult Leader]]
[[Category:Extremists]]
[[Category:Mass Murderers]]
[[Category:Xenophobes]]
[[Category:Homicidal]]
[[Category:Sadists]]
[[Category:Emotionless Villains]]
[[Category:Middle Eastern Villains]]
[[Category:Supremacists]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:Dark Priest]]
[[Category:Villains of the War on Terror]]
[[Category:Al Qaeda Members]]
[[Category:Destroyer of Innocence]]
[[Category:Anti-Religious]]
[[Category:Anti-Christian]]
[[Category:Anti-LGBT]]
[[Category:Anti-Semitic]]
[[Category:Anti-Catholic]]
[[Category:Syria]]