With a short beard, equal-length hair, a well-groomed mustache, and a trendy jacket, the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) in Syria, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, was seen next to a sign that read, "In the presence of the head of the Syrian Salvation Government, the first popular government project in the liberated areas has been inaugurated: Aleppo - Bab al-Hawa road." Al-Jolani's "modern look" sparked ridicule among social media users, who described him as having a "new appearance for the organization."
In February, the U.S. Department of Justice posted a picture of al-Jolani in a formal suit on social media. This was to remind the public of the $10 million reward they had offered for information about him. The department wrote on its page "Reward for Justice," stating: "You can wear a nice suit, handsome, but you remain a terrorist." They encouraged anyone with information about al-Jolani to send it via "Telegram," "Signal," or "WhatsApp."
The picture of al-Jolani in the formal suit was from American journalist Martin Smith, who visited Idlib for three years and met with al-Jolani during that time.
It is noteworthy that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which al-Jolani leads, has sought to gain Western acceptance, changing its name from "Al-Nusra Front" to "Fateh al-Sham," declaring that it is no longer affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The organization has shown significant transformations in its organizational structure over the past years, reflecting its pragmatic approach. Even the extremist group's name has changed from "Al-Nusra Front" to "Fateh al-Sham" and finally to "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham," adopting various designations in an attempt to secure a portion of the Syrian cake.
