Syria’s al-Sharaa on Time 100 list of influential figures

Shafaq News/ Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been named to Time magazine’s 2025 “Time100” list of the world’s most influential figures.

Time profiled al-Sharaa—also known for leading Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, labeled a “terrorist” group by the US and others—as a figure who transitioned from militant commander to political leader. The magazine noted that after years of consolidating armed power, al-Sharaa and his “rebel alliance” overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s government last December.

According to Time, al-Sharaa built his position by forging alliances—“often at gunpoint”—and securing Turkish backing. He has since established a governing structure in northwest Syria, attempting to broaden support among minority communities.

The publication also raised questions about al-Sharaa’s long-term political motives, describing him as a polarizing figure whose intentions remain unclear, stating, “Observers are left to wonder if al-Sharaa is an Islamist extremist whose moderate poses are only ploys for temporary political gain, or if he’s more a pragmatic politician who exploited extremist groups to gain power.”

Appointed by Syria’s Military Operations Directorate on January 29, al-Sharaa was tasked with overseeing a transitional period and forming a legislative council ahead of drafting a new constitution.