Despite hundreds of thousands of deaths, more than ten years into the Syrian conflict Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power. In THE JIHADIST (Friday 1st, 8.50pm) FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith travels to Syria’s Idlib province, the last remaining opposition stronghold to the Assad regime, to interview one of the most wanted men in the world: Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the controversial leader of the most dominant force in opposition-held Syrian territory, in his first interview with an American journalist.

Featuring conversations with Jolani, his critics and his victims, Smith examines his emergence as a leading Islamist militant and his efforts – despite his history with Al Qaeda and allegations of human rights abuses – to change his image into that of a viable leader who presents no threat to the US or Europe.