The Rise of Abu Mohammed al-Julani: Rebel Leader poised to rule Syria had Al-Qaeda connections

Leading the lightning-swift offensive liberating Damascus and ending the rule of President Bashar al-Assad is Abu Mohammed al-Julani, who now heads Syria's most powerful armed force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group that once had ties to al-Qaeda.

In an interview with the American media broadcast on Friday, Al-Julani declared: "When we talk about goals, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of the Assad regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve this goal."

Since severing ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, al-Julani has tried to portray himself as a more moderate figure. However, Western analysts and governments continue to define his organization as a terrorist organization.

The U.S. State Department has designated al-Julani a global terrorist and announced a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture.

* Bihadrei Haredim contributed to this account