Anas Khattab, also known as Abu Ahmad Hudoud,[a] was born in 1987 in the town of Jayrud, located in the western Qalamoun region of Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria. He initially studied architectural engineering at the University of Damascus before leaving Syria for Iraq in 2008. His departure was reportedly motivated by his intent to "fight against the American occupation" during that time.[1]
Khattab got the nickname "Abu Ahmad Hudoud"[a] (Hudoud meaning Borders in Arabic) from his days in Al-Qaeda under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, which eventually evolved into the Islamic State of Iraq. Khattab was entrusted with managing a guesthouse on the Syrian-Iraqi border that prepared fighters crossing the border.[3]
Career
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
Khattab joined Al-Nusra Front (later Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham) in 2012 and quickly rose through its ranks. He became known for his strategic and intelligence capabilities, playing a critical role in securing the group's dominance in the Idlib region. He was instrumental in dismantling rival factions, including Hurras al-Din, by penetrating their ranks and orchestrating precision operations.[1]
As the head of the General Security Apparatus, Khattab oversaw efforts to eliminate extremist factions such as ISIL in Idlib, employing sophisticated infiltration and rapid-response tactics. His leadership has been credited with maintaining relative stability in HTS-controlled areas.[1]
Khattab's career within Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham included several high-profile positions:[1]
Former General Administrator of Jabhat al-Nusra
Deputy to Abu Mohammad al-Julani
Head of the General Security Apparatus
Syrian government
Khattab served as the first Director of the newly formed General Intelligence Service during the Syrian caretaker government following the fall of the Assad regime.[1] In March 2025, Khattab, along with Syrian President al-Shaara and other senior ministers met with a Turkish delegation which included the head of Turkish intelligence.[5] The meeting came immediately following a deal between the Syrian government and Kurdish militias in North East Syria who have clashed with Turkish forces in the past.[6][7]
Khattab is reportedly multilingual and is known for his preference for operating behind the scenes. Despite his prominence, no public images of him have been released until his appointment on 26 December 2024. His professional background in architecture contrasts with the political and economic studies pursued by many of his contemporaries in Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.[1]
Controversies
Khattab has faced allegations of involvement in the assassination of rival jihadist leaders via U.S. drone strikes, accusations frequently leveled by factions such as Hurras al-Din.[1] He was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2012,[1] and by the United Nations in 2014.[9] The UN's designation included targeted sanctions against Khattab.[10] After Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fled Syria in December 2024, the new Syrian government of which Khattab is Interior Minister has requested that these sanctions be lifted.[11] As of August 2025 they are still in effect.
The Turkish government resisted these designations until November 2016, when they too designated Khattab a terrorist, but intelligence cooperation continued and even expanded as HTS solidified its control over Idlib.[4] Despite their intelligence cooperation, in 2021, the Turkish Interior Ministry released a report which designated Khattab as affiliated with ISIL.[4]
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