US warns Syria HTS leader Jolani he's still among 'most wanted', despite 'the suit'
Jolani has embarked on a series of image changes during her period as HTS leader.
2 min read
Jolani remains among the most wanted by the US [Getty]
The leader of Syria's Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani was pictured this week wearing a suit for a TV interview with a western reporter, leading to the US to remind the militant that there is still a $10 million bounty on his head.
PBS reporter Martin Smith shared an image of Jolani after the interview for FRONTLINE in HTS-held Idlib province.
"Just returned from three days in Idlib, Syria with Abu Muhammad al Jolani, founder of al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al Nusra. He spoke candidly about 9/11, AQ, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, ISIS, America and more," Smith tweeted, along with the image.
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Jolani has embarked on several image overhauls in recent years but the shot of him standing with Smith wearing a suit surprised many Syria watchers.
Jolani's smart appearance appeared to be another attempt to distance himself from his former status as the leader of Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, known as Al-Nusra Front.
HTS, the new name of his outfit, is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the US, EU and others.
Read also: Syria Insight - Jolani's outreach campaign highlights HTS' many challenges in Idlib
After the image of Jolani and Smith was widely shared on Twitter, the State Department's "Rewards for Justice" Arabic-language page on Tuesday issued a direct warning to the militant leader.
"Hello handsome Jolani, what's this nice suit? You can change your clothes but you're still a terrorist. Don't forget the 10 million dollar reward," tweeted Rewards for Justice Arabic.
Below was a contact number for anyone with information on the HTS leader.
Jolani led Al-Nusra Front, Syria's Al-Qaeda franchise, until 2017 when he publically distanced himself from the international terrorist network.
HTS seized control of most of Idlib in 2019, after a series of offensives against rebel groups in the area. HTS has also clashed with jihadist formations in Idlib, such as Hurras Al-Din.
Jolani and his militants are accused of human rights abuses, including the kidnapping, torture, and murder of civilians.
In recent years, Jolani has engaged in a series of PR campaigns to appeal to the local population in Idlib, and attempted to distance himself from his jihadist roots.
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