Reports emerging from global media on Sunday morning suggest that the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammad al-Julani, may have been killed in a Russian airstrike. Images purportedly showing his body have also been circulating on social media, although these claims have not been independently verified.
HTS, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, recently led a significant offensive against the Assad regime, capturing parts of Aleppo in a major escalation. The Russian defense ministry confirmed on Sunday that its air force had conducted strikes against Syrian rebels in support of the Syrian government. These strikes reportedly targeted militant concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.
Al-Julani has been the political and military leader of HTS since its formation in 2017, following the merger of several jihadist factions. While leading the group, al-Julani has made efforts to distance HTS from extremist ideologies, attempting to project an image of moderation to the West. However, HTS remains deeply involved in the ongoing conflict in Syria, fighting against both the Assad regime and international forces.
Since 2016, Aleppo had been under the control of the Assad regime, which, with Russian military support, had successfully ousted rebel groups from the city.
