Syrian Leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani Expresses Pride in Past, Cites Iraq Experience as Lesson

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, in the second part of his interview with Al Jazeera, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the self-proclaimed president of Syria, detailed his entry into Iraq in 2003. He stated that at the age of 20, he entered the country with the aim of defending the Iraqi people, just before the American invasion.

Al-Jolani added that his entry into Iraq was an ordinary one, without prior coordination. After a period of residence in the country, he was detained and spent five years in prison, where he was known by the alias Amjad Muzaffar.

Regarding the use of this alias, Jolani explained that the name originally belonged to his father, who used it to sign his letters to evade detection by Syrian security agencies. When asked for official documents in Iraq, he recalled only his father’s pseudonym and thus introduced himself as Amjad Muzaffar Hussein.

Responding to critics and opponents who use the name Abu Mohammad al-Jolani to refer to his past, he asserted, “I am not ashamed of this part of my life story, nor do I consider it blameworthy. It is part of my history. I am affiliated with the Golan, and this is not a cause for shame. I have had over 23 years of arduous activity, and this history carries with it many responsibilities, sufferings, sacrifices, and difficulties. I take pride in this past and consider it a part of Syria’s heritage!”

He continued, “The lesson I learned from the Iraq experience was that it should not be repeated in Syria. From that time, I came to believe that each country has its own unique characteristics, and the salvation of Syria requires avoiding the quagmire of Iraq and forging a different path based on realism.”

It is noteworthy that in 2003, Al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Zarqawi, was conducting attacks against the Iraqi government. Al-Jolani received training from Zarqawi and quickly rose within the group. One of Al-Qaeda’s actions in Iraq involved bombings in densely populated cities, and Al-Jolani was involved in planning some of these operations.