The Structure and Leadership of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS): Key Figures, Factions, and Relationships

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a Sunni Islamist military organization involved in the Syrian civil war. It was formed on January 28, 2017, as a merger between several armed factions, including Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, Jabhat Ansar al-Din, Jaish al-Sunna, Liwa al-Haq, Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zinki, and a faction of Ahrar al-Sham known as Jaish al-Ahrar. The unification process was initiated by Abu Jaber al-Sheikh, a radical Islamist leader who was the second emir of Ahrar al-Sham. On December 8, 2024, HTS, along with other Syrian opposition groups, launched a major offensive that led to the overthrow of the Assad regime. The organization now controls most of the country. This graph illustrates the structure of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the leadership of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani (Ahmed al-Shara). It highlights the most prominent figures within the organization, as well as the leaders and factions affiliated with or joined under HTS. Additionally, the graph showcases the relationships between HTS and other parties involved in the Syrian conflict.