Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Leader Al-Joulani Meets With 'Controversial Syrian Milita Leader Who Was Backed By Russia'

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On December 11, 2024, Ahmed Al-Shara', aka Abu Mohammad Al-Joulani, the Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) leader and chief of its Military Operations Command, met with the "leader of the Southern Operations Room, Ahmed Al-Awda" in Damascus, to coordinate civil and military efforts, according to reports by several Syrian outlets, including Syria Television.

A photo of the meeting showing the two standing next to each other (center), along with others was circulated on Telegram.[1]

Reacting to the news, a Syrian jihadi cleric, Abu Yehya Al-Shami, criticized Al-Joulani's meeting with Al-Awda, calling the latter an affiliate of Russia.[2]

"Ahmed Al-Awda served in Bashar Al-Assad's army under Russian sponsorship after he abandoned the revolution," he claimed.

Opposing the new policies issued by HTS-backed government and Al-Joulani's meeting with Al-Awda and with former Syrian officials, the cleric wrote mockingly:

"This meeting is much less annoying than the meetings with officers and henchmen of the regime who have not changed or altered their positions, and it is easier than pardoning the regime's thugs."

Who Is Ahmed Al-Awda?

According to Syrian opposition websites, Ahmed Al-Awda is a fighter in the anti-Syrian regime opposition who lost three of his brothers in 2014 at the hands of the Syrian regime.

"Al-Awda, who holds a degree in English literature, became famous during the past years of the Syrian revolution for changing his skin several times, and for turning against everyone who stood with him and supported him. His fluctuations confirmed the man's strong desire to remain in the spotlight using his influence and leadership," stated a report published by the Syrian Enab Beladi news outlet.[3]

The report added that Al-Awda had fought alongside the Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda branch in Syria before it rebranded itself as HTS, but that he had later turned against it: "Al-Awda was the leader of 'The Sunni Youth' faction, fighting alongside Al-Nusra and Al-Muthanna factions before he turned against them and expelled them from Bosra Al-Sham city in March 2015."

It also said that in mid-2018, under the auspices of the Russians, a settlement had been reached in the city of Busra Al-Sham between rebels and the Assad regime, under which Al-Awda handed over heavy weapons and joined the Fifth Corps, a militia directly affiliated with the Russians. According to the report, the Russians rewarded him by handing him command of the corps in the southern region.