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Electronic Sharia Army: Saudi Accounts Supporting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Used to Back Its Government
Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the advancement of opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the name of Ahmed Al-Shar know emerges as a prominent figure in the new Syrian scene. Previously known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani’s leader, he quickly became associated with hashtags supporting him, such as #OneHandAgainstTails and #WeAllAhmedAlShar, turning into a symbol of support for the new political system in Syria.
As his support grew, cohesive online groups emerged expressing their approval of Al-Shar’s policies, especially after his appointment as the country’s interim president. These accounts began publishing content that endorses his stances, attacking his opponents as part of an organized propaganda campaign.
The Arab Verification Community team uncovered that this network consists of Syrian accounts opposing Assad’s authority, along with accounts that previously belonged to Jabhat al-Nusra and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, with a strong presence of foreign accounts, particularly from Saudi Arabia, which describes Al-Shar as the “wise politician.”
It was also found that fake accounts affiliated with this network played a major role in amplifying pro-Al-Shar propaganda, employing inflammatory rhetoric that sometimes reached the level of spreading hatred and sectarian incitement, aiming to ignite the scene and reinforce his positions.
First Sparks: The Birth of Hashtags
The hashtag "#WeAllAhmedAlShar" appeared on January 3, 2025, through the account of Alaa Al-Hashimi (@hamoud76394592), a Syrian account claiming to be from Idlib and Syrian tribes. The account posted a video of Al-Shar’s meeting with the German Foreign Minister, accompanied by the hashtag.
