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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Jason Burke

Syria’s new leader has two identities – but which one will take the country forward?

Ahmed al-Sharaa, or Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd in the Umayyad mosque in Damascus.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, or Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd in the Umayyad mosque in Damascus. Photograph: Aref Tammawi/AFP/Getty Images

On Sunday morning, a bearded 42-year-old man wearing a plain green military uniform walked into the Umayyad mosque in Damascus and addressed a small crowd, the Syrian nation, the region and the world.

With the mosque’s glittering decorations providing a backdrop, Ahmed al-Sharaa described the fall of the house of Assad as “a victory for the Islamic nation” and called for reflection and prayer.

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