What role do regional allies and external forces play in fueling the rise of HTS As Syria grapples with a new chapter following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa – known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani – has emerged as a key power broker in northern Syria. Leading Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with roots in Al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa has shed his militant image, donning tailored suits in a calculated bid to rebrand himself as a pragmatic leader. Yet, this transformation