The Digester

One Year After Assad: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syria's Unfinished Transition

Mar 20th 2026

One year after the fall of the Assad regime, former jihadist commander Ahmed al-Sharaa leads a Syria that is diplomatically acknowledged but politically fragile, combining pragmatic governance steps with centralized control and unresolved rights, corruption and regional integration challenges.

  • Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, rose from leading Nusra/HTS to become Syria’s interim president after a swift offensive in late 2024.
  • Sharaa has secured high level meetings and engagement from the U.S., Russia, Turkey and Gulf states while navigating competing international expectations.
  • He centralized power by appointing Idlib confidants to key posts and reserving parliamentary seats, and the October elections were tightly managed by government committees.
  • In areas formerly under his control, Sharaa introduced pragmatic governance measures such as expanded solar power, tax collection and some infrastructure rebuilding.
  • Human rights and security concerns persist, including reports of sectarian violence and repression against former Assad loyalists and minorities.
  • His past includes shifting ties with Islamic State and al-Qaida, alleged tactical dealings with Syrian intelligence, and long periods operating underground.
  • Major challenges remain: integrating the Kurdish northeast, rebuilding a fragmented economy and state, addressing corruption allegations tied to his family, and meeting public expectations for stability and rights.

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