Damascus, Syria

A lightning offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) culminated with the historic toppling of President Bashar-al Assad's regime in Syria's 13-year-long conflict. 

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HTS, which had emerged from al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, in its surprise assault captured more than 50 towns and villages in Syria followed by some of its strategic cities and eventually stormed into the capital Damascus on Sunday (Dec 8). 

The United Nations, United States, Turkey and other nations have designated HTS as a terrorist organisation.

All about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

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In 2011, HTS started as Jabhat al-Nusra, which was an affiliate of Al Qaeda and was famous for its brutality and effectiveness.

In English, “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” means "Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant".

Earlier, it was aligned with the Free Syrian Army in the uprising against President Assad. 

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However, the group's strict jihadist ideology soon led to its alienation from other rebel groups.

Also Read: Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war

HTS is headed by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who is a former leader of Jabhat al-Nusra.

The group follows the Salafi-jihadist ideology and its aim has always been toppling the government of Assad and establishing Islamic rule in the country.

Islamic State (IS) group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was also involved in the formation of HTS.

Also Read: Syria's 13-year civil war: Timeline of key events since 2011 - What you should know

The group was renamed HTS in 2016 after the leader of the group Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani publicly broke ranks with Al Qaeda.

HTS had set up its power base in the north-western province of Idlib and worked as the region's de facto local administration.

Watch: Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says

HTS has also been governing parts of the country through the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), providing essential services like food aid and welfare programmes for nearly four million residents in its territories. 

The group has also taken under its control critical resources such as the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, through which humanitarian aid is facilitated. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.