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From insurgent leader to Syria’s president, al-Sharaa takes the UN stage to cheers and a rare interviewed with the US general who once captured him.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Once one of the world’s most wanted men, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was once better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is now being celebrated in New York. The former head of Syria’s al-Nusra Front, who once had a $10 million bounty on his head for orchestrating multiple attacks across Syria, stood this week before cheering crowds outside the United Nations as he prepared for his first-ever address as Syria’s president.
In a surreal twist, he later took the stage for a rare interview with retired US General David Petraeus, the very officer once responsible for his capture.
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According to a report by the Al-Jazeera, Sharaa and retired four-star US General David Petraeus both acknowledged the peculiarity of the moment when they shared the stage. Petraeus had commanded US forces in Iraq and was directly involved in al-Sharaa’s capture and imprisonment from 2006 to 2011 for opposing the invasion. He later went on to serve as CIA director.
After his release, Sharaa founded the al-Nusra Front in 2012 to fight Bashar al-Assad. The group severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016 and merged with other factions a year later to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), still led by Sharaa. HTS was labelled a “terrorist organisation” by the US in 2018 over past links to al-Qaeda, but the designation was revoked in July as Washington adjusted its policy toward post-Assad Syria.
“It is good that at one time we were in combat, and now we are in dialogue,” Sharaa said, smiling at his former adversary. “Someone who went through war is one who knows best the importance of peace.”
About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
New York, United States of America (USA)
September 25, 2025, 09:31 IST
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