Biden lifts $10 million bounty on head of jihadist leader now in charge of Syria

The Biden administration withdrew the $10 million reward it was offering for information on Ahmed Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad Jolani, leader of the Hayat Tahrir Sham (HTS) group. This move came after Sharaa agreed to prevent terrorist groups in Syria from posing a threat to the United States and its neighboring countries.

The decision was announced following a meeting between Sharaa and Barbara Leaf, chief U.S. Middle East envoy, who called the dialogue "good and thoroughgoing." Leaf argued that this rapprochement seeks to contribute to stability in the region, particularly in the wake of the recent fall of the regime of Bashar Assad, overthrown by HTS earlier this month.

HTS, which controls much of Syrian territory, was initially an al Qaeda affiliate before splitting off in 2016. However, the U.S. maintains its designation as a terrorist group, citing its extremist roots.

HTS seeks to distance itself from its extremist roots

Sharaa has sought to distance himself from HTS's extremist reputation, highlighting the group's commitment to education. He claimed that more than 60% of university students in Idlib are women, and assured that his intention is not to transform Syria into an Afghanistan-like scenario.

An ambivalent relationship

The U.S. relationship with HTS has been ambivalent due to its background as a militant Islamist group. However, the fall of the Assad regime and the growing threat from ISIS in the region have led Washington to seek more pragmatic strategies.

In the meantime, the United States has increased its military presence in northeastern Syria, doubling the number of troops in an effort to prevent the resurgence of ISIS.