Syria’s new leader has two identities – but which one will take the country forward?

Whether he goes by Ahmed al-Sharaa or his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is a key indicator in the direction Syria’s future may take

On Sunday morning, a bearded 42-year-old man wearing a plain green military uniform walked into the Umayyad mosque in Damascus and addressed a small crowd, the Syrian nation, the region and the world.

With the mosque’s glittering decorations providing a backdrop, Ahmed al-Sharaa described the fall of the house of Assad as “a victory for the Islamic nation” and called for reflection and prayer.