spinph Leader of Syria’s Resurgent Rebels Lays Out Strategy to Oust Assad

Follow live updates on Syria and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.spinph

Syrian rebels have swept through major cities and captured territory across four provinces in a dramatic new offensive, and the Islamist leader heading the charge says their aim is nothing short of ousting President Bashar al-Assad.

After attracting little notice for years, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and the rebels he leads shocked the world by launching the most significant challenge to Mr. al-Assad’s rule in a decade. He told The New York Times in an interview this week that he was confident the rebels would score more victories against weakened and demoralized government forces.

“Our goal is to liberate Syria from this oppressive regime,” he said in an hourlong video interview from an unknown location.

Appearing relaxed and confident, but struggling at times with a persistent cough, he was unwavering in his contention that the rebels could end the longtime Syrian leader’s brutal, authoritarian rule. “This operation broke the enemy,” he said of the rebels’ lightning offensive.

Mr. al-Jolani, 42, leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist group once linked to Al Qaeda, that has controlled most of the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib for years.

He and his administration have come under criticism from inside and outside the country for using authoritarian tactics and cracking down on dissent.

Turkish army

and Syrian

opposition

Joint control with

Syrian government

TURKEY

Kurdish

forces

Aleppo

Raqqa

Rebels

Advances

since November

Hama

IRAQ

Homs

Syrian government

LEB.

Damascus

Syrian opposition

(U.S.-backed)

JORDAN

50 MILES

Turkish army

and Syrian

opposition

Joint control with

Syrian government

TURKEY

Aleppo

Kurdish forces

Raqqa

Rebels

Latakia

SYRIA

Hama

Advances

since November

Homs

IRAQ

Syrian government

LEBANON

Damascus

50 MILES

Syrian opposition

(U.S.-backed)

JORDAN

Note: Areas of control are approximate. Advance since late Nov. shown as of Dec. 5.

Sources: Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project (areas of control); Janes (rebel control as of November)

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