During a conversation at school, I spoke with some of my students from Syria about Ahmad Shara, also known as Jolani. One of the students, a fully covered woman, described Jolani as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Her words were direct: "He is ISIS."

She recounted how, during his rule in Homs, Jolani used his influence at mosques to enforce strict societal norms, including compelling women to wear headscarves. Even Christian women were pressured to adopt the hijab. Despite her devout Muslim faith, this woman expressed grave concerns, alleging that Jolani emerged from ISIS ranks, embodying their ideology.

According to her, Jolani has strategically adapted ISIS and Taliban tactics, along with lessons from Erdogan’s political maneuvers, to consolidate power. His approach, she believes, involves masking his true intentions with a façade of moderation to achieve his goals. For instance, Jolani has called for armed groups to surrender their weapons to the "state" before negotiations on a new constitution could begin.

The woman’s perspective paints Jolani and his organization as a ticking time bomb, waiting for the opportune moment to ignite. She asserted that this clock is controlled by Erdogan, suggesting a deep and dangerous geopolitical entanglement.

As the world watches the complexities of Syria unfold, voices like hers remind us of the precarious balance between power, ideology, and the quest for control.