Anas Hasan Khattab is a Syrian politician and former military commander who is currently serving as the minister of Interior in the Syrian transitional government since 29 March 2025.
16 Facts About Anas Khattab
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Anas Khattab was the deputy commander of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham under Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the head of the General Security Apparatus within the group.
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Anas Khattab, known as Abu Ahmad Hudoud, was born in 1987 in the town of Jayrud, located in the western Qalamoun region of Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria.
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Anas Khattab initially studied architectural engineering at the University of Damascus before leaving Syria for Iraq in 2008.
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Anas Khattab's departure was reportedly motivated by his intent to "fight against the American occupation" during that time.
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Anas Khattab was entrusted with managing a guesthouse on the Syrian-Iraqi border that prepared fighters crossing the border.
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Anas Khattab joined Al-Nusra Front in 2012 and quickly rose through its ranks.
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Anas Khattab became known for his strategic and intelligence capabilities, playing a critical role in securing the group's dominance in the Idlib region.
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Anas Khattab was instrumental in dismantling rival factions, including Hurras al-Din, by penetrating their ranks and orchestrating precision operations.
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Anas Khattab was reportedly recruited by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization and acted as a liaison between them and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham after the latter took control of Idlib.
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Anas Khattab's leadership has been credited with maintaining relative stability in HTS-controlled areas.
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On 29 March 2025, Anas Khattab was appointed Minister of Interior in the Syrian transitional government.
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Anas Khattab is reportedly multilingual and is known for his preference for operating behind the scenes.
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Anas Khattab has faced allegations of involvement in the assassination of rival jihadist leaders via US drone strikes, accusations frequently leveled by factions such as Hurras al-Din.
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Anas Khattab was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2012, and by the United Nations in 2014.
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Anas Khattab published a pro-jihadist book called "Islam is the religion of Jihad", in its foreword he praised Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, Osama bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Abu Musab al-Suri.