Syria’s Interim President, a former U.S. detainee, is interviewed by the man who oversaw his capture, as he seeks to rebrand his image on the world stage.
In a remarkable and historically significant turn of events, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was interviewed this week by former CIA Director and retired Army Gen. David Petraeus, the very man who commanded the forces that captured him.
The interview took place on Monday at the Concordia Annual Summit, serving as a poignant reunion that highlighted their shared past.
Petraeus, who led U.S. forces in Iraq, oversaw the detention of al-Sharaa—then known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—from 2006 to 2011.
Now, over a decade later, the two men engaged in a public discourse that underscored al-Sharaa’s dramatic political transformation.
Al-Sharaa is slated to become the first Syrian leader in 58 years to address the United Nations, a key part of his efforts to rehabilitate his image after leading a Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate for approximately four years.
“At a time, we were in combat and now we move to discourse,” al-Sharaa said during the interview, reflecting on his history with Petraeus.
Al-Sharaa came to power after leading a rebel alliance that overthrew former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. He was at the time the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamic fundamentalist militant group.
During their conversation, Petraeus expressed his admiration for al-Sharaa’s journey, stating that his “trajectory from insurgent leader to head of state has been one of the most dramatic political transformations in recent Middle Eastern history.” Petraeus also noted that the Syrian President has “many” fans, and counted himself among them.
Acknowledging his controversial past, al-Sharaa admitted that “maybe there were mistakes” during his time as the leader of an Al-Qaeda branch in Syria.
However, he emphasized his commitment to stabilizing the nation, placing the blame for the country’s chaos on the al-Assad regime. He also stated that “all parties made mistakes, including parts of the government.”
Despite al-Sharaa’s attempts to present a new image for Syria, the country continues to grapple with significant internal challenges.
Sectarian violence remains a major concern, with government-affiliated forces continuing to commit mass killings and attacks on both the Alawite and Druze minorities. In response, al-Sharaa pledged to continue investigations into these massacres and to prosecute those involved.
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