Syria’s Sharaa: from jihadist to statesman

From wanted jihadist to statesman embraced by world leaders, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has undergone a stunning transformation in just six months since ousting longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad.

Born in 1982, Sharaa abandoned his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, trimmed his thick beard and swapped fatigues for a suit and tie since his Islamist coalition of forces seized Damascus on December 8.

He was proclaimed interim president the following month, and later tasked with…