From $10 Million Bounty to NATO Guest: How a Former ISIS Leader Became an Ally

Imagine a man once judged one of ISIS’s top leaders, with a $10 million bounty on his head. He founded the Al-Nusra Front, later rebranded as HTS, and led brutal campaigns across Syria. When Russia turned its focus to Ukraine, Turkey and Western powers reportedly partnered with him. He helped remove Assad, saw his bounty lifted, and was welcomed as Syria’s president. Even today, he attended a NATO summit in Turkey, with leaders like Trump and Macron pledging support. So I ask: How does someone go from a wanted extremist to an international partner? What do these shifting alliances reveal about the real priorities behind the global fight on terrorism?

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