Syria

Lebanese president<\/a>, Joseph Aoun, who was elected on Thursday, filling a political vacuum that had lasted over two years.<\/p>\n<h2>Relations between the EU and the new Syrian administration<\/h2><p>Tajani visited Damascus on the heels of Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, and her French counterpart, Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot, who travelled<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////it.euronews.com//2025//01//03//visita-in-siria-dei-ministri-degli-esteri-tedesco-e-francese-i-primi-dallue-dalla-caduta-d/"> <\/a>to Syria last week. Theirs was the first visit by EU diplomats since the end of al-Assad's reign, and both ministers used it to insist on a peaceful transition of power.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of Friday's visit to Damascus, Tajani presided over a meeting in Rome of foreign ministry officials from five countries \u2014 Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States \u2014 after speaking earlier by telephone with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>The future of Syria was also the focus of Thursday's meeting in Rome between the foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. <\/p>\n<p>\"I welcomed the Partners at Villa Madama to take stock of the latest developments in Syria before leaving for Damascus,\" Tajani wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n<p>\"After the years of the regime, the Syrian people must be able to look forward to a future of peace, stability, and prosperity. Coordination and cohesion between our diplomats are strategic elements to achieve this shared goal.\"<\/p>\n<p>Kallas, meanwhile, wrote in a post of her own that the bloc \"could gradually ease sanctions provided there is tangible progress\". <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1736495054,"updatedAt":1736539778,"publishedAt":1736525806,"firstPublishedAt":1736525806,"lastPublishedAt":1736539778,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/15\/54\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_26648de4-1b2d-5c52-9081-36db13c0164b-8961554.jpg","altText":"Antonio Tajani and Syrian leader Ahmed al Sharaa","caption":"Antonio Tajani and Syrian leader Ahmed al Sharaa","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Farnesina","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2048,"height":1536}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2874,"urlSafeValue":"pinto","title":"Fortunato Pinto","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"id":957,"urlSafeValue":"fisayo","title":"Jerry Fisayo-Bambi","twitter":"@jerrybambi1"}]},"keywords":[{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European Union"},{"id":158,"slug":"italy","urlSafeValue":"italy","title":"Italy","titleRaw":"Italy"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":12342,"slug":"antonio-tajani","urlSafeValue":"antonio-tajani","title":"Antonio Tajani","titleRaw":"Antonio Tajani"},{"id":30252,"slug":"abu-mohammed-al-jolani","urlSafeValue":"abu-mohammed-al-jolani","title":"Abu Mohammed al-Jolani","titleRaw":"Abu Mohammed al-Jolani"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"twitter","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2722792},{"id":2723508}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"VK7CGWxUsHg"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/10\/en\/250110_NWSU_57476480_57481809_65720_165011_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":65720,"filesizeBytes":8924147,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/10\/en\/250110_NWSU_57476480_57481809_65720_165011_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":65720,"filesizeBytes":13580787,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Jeremiah 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railway turkey syria","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria's road ahead: How transport infrastructure could be the key to stability","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria's road ahead: Is transport the key to acheiving stability?","titleListing2":"How the stabilisation of Syria will have to start from the road infrastructure ","leadin":"Turkey has a major role in Syria's reconstruction, and transport investments like railway links are on the agenda although Gulf money may prove vital.","summary":"Turkey has a major role in Syria's reconstruction, and transport investments like railway links are on the agenda although Gulf money may prove vital.","keySentence":"","url":"syrias-road-ahead-how-transport-infrastructure-could-be-the-key-to-stability","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/10\/syrias-road-ahead-how-transport-infrastructure-could-be-the-key-to-stability","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Syria's future hangs in the balance after the toppling of authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad last month, with optimism for peace and democracy tempered by fears of how social and political cohesion can be restored in the deeply fragmented country.\n\nThe European Union and its regional interlocutors \u2014 Turkey and the Gulf monarchies \u2014 are engaging with Syria's new leaders, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to encourage a peaceful and inclusive transition and avoid the breakout of a new civil war. \n\n\"Decisions taken now will determine (Syria's) future in the years to come,\" UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Thursday. \n\n\"There are great opportunities and real dangers ahead, Syria and the UN must act appropriately in view of the next phase.\"\n\nMassive investments in infrastructure by the international community could help stabilise Syria after 14 years of civil war, and Turkey is set to be a key player in such development.\n\nSyria, a new transport hub in the Middle East? \n\nThe Mesopotamian country is in urgent need of infrastructure such as railways, airports and roads to maintain the cohesion of the country and ensure the distribution of basic necessities for people and businesses.\n\n\"The important thing at this stage is to distribute the aid to all territories in Syria in the most effective way,\" a European Commission source told Euronews.\n\nTurkey, which for years backed the rebels seeking to topple al-Assad, has emerged as one of the biggest winners of the new reality \u2014 and has a potentially decisive role to play in shaping Syria's future for various geographical, political and economic reasons.\n\nOver the past three decades, Turkey's extensive construction and infrastructure companies have proven their effectiveness in former Soviet countries, the Balkans and the Levant, becoming versatile tools for President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan's \"near abroad\" ambitions.\n\nAccording to the recent declarations of the institutional leaders of Turkey, the EU and the Gulf countries, a Syrian territory with clear sovereignty guaranteeing its cohesion is inevitably part of this scheme.\n\nAnkara is in close contact with and shares a degree of mutual trust with the HTS rebel group, which is leading the current transitional government in Damascus and says it has broken with its jihadist past.\n\nYet Syria is not yet at peace. There are frequent firefights between factions in the north and east of the country, and occasional incursions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) into the south, even beyond the Golan Heights area.\n\nThe Turkish construction powerhouse\n\nTurkey has two objectives: in the near term, to eliminate the threat of the Syrian Kurdish factions on its southern border, and further ahead, to increase its political influence throughout the region by becoming the go-to interlocutor for the EU.\n\nRoad infrastructure is therefore essential as a catalyst for regional integration and trade, two key elements of Brussels' neighbourhood policy, which governs the EU's relations with 16 of the bloc's closest eastern and southern neighbours, including Syria. \n\nTurkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uralo\u011flu recently announced a government action plan for rehabilitating ports, airports, railways and bridges in Syria.\n\nThis includes plans to rehabilitate sections of the 1750-kilometre historic Hejaz Railway in Syria \u2014 built between 1900 and 1908 \u2014 that ran from Istanbul to Medina, according to Turkish media.\n\nWhile Sultan Abdulhamid II of the Ottoman Empire envisaged the train line reaching Mecca, Ankara appears more pragmatic for now. \n\n\"However, at the moment it is essential to reach Damascus,\" Uralo\u011flu said.\n\nLuigi Narbone, Director of the Mediterranean Platform at Luiss University in Rome, explained to Euronews why Syria is an essential element of Turkey's national interest at this pivotal moment. \n\n\"Due to its location straddling the Gulf and the Mediterranean, (Syria) can serve Turkey to realise geoeconomic ambitions, placing it at the centre of a series of links between the Gulf region and the Mediterranean,\" said Narbone, a former head of the EU delegation in Saudi Arabia and diplomatic representative in Qatar and other Gulf monarchies.\n\nGulf money could prove key \n\nTurkish engagement in Syria will require significant investments and financial resources that might be out of reach due to the hyperinflation and public debt stifling its economy.\n\n\"Economic fragility is one of the limits to achieving Turkey's regional ambitions,\" Narbone said. \"It is important for it to secure economic and financial support especially from Qatar and also from other Gulf countries. Projects like the railway are perhaps a prodrome of something more important (for the region).\" \n\nThe Gulf monarchies are also undergoing major railway development projects, which have whetted the appetites of big European industries.\n\nIn Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Railway Company has presented a 30-year investment plan to build an extensive rail transport network.\n\nQatar, Oman and other countries with petrodollar-rich sovereign wealth funds have also decided to focus on the development of trains. Since the 19th century, rail networks have been a driving force for regional integration but sometimes also a cause of conflict.\n\nA new regional integration? \n\nIf Ankara's railway ambitions for Syria were to become reality, in the future the Arabian Peninsula would be connected with high-speed tracks \u2014 thanks to the Syrian territorial platform \u2014 to the Mediterranean, to Turkey, and therefore to the vast corridor between India, the Middle East and Europe (IMEC), which is also known as the \"Cotton Road\". \n\nThe project is supported by the US, in competition with the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, and is based on a combination of rail, road and air infrastructure.\n\nIn fact, the Turkish government has announced that Syrian reconstruction will start from Damascus airport, where the first scheduled international passenger flight operated by Qatar Airways landed on Tuesday.\n\n\"We have worked hard to rebuild and reactivate the airport with the help of our brothers in Qatar,\" said Ashad al-Suleibi, chairman of the Syrian Air Transport Authority.\n\nAlso last week, a Syrian official told state news agency SANA that the country will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to increase energy supplies that were reduced by damage to infrastructure during al-Assad's rule.\n\nThe international community wants to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq some 20 years ago, according to Narbone.\n\n\"Relaunching the administrative machinery is crucial for reconstruction,\" he said. \n\n\"It is also crucial to ensure a peaceful coexistence, a reconciliation process, and to avoid the mistakes of dismantling an apparatus that is key in such a delicate transition phase.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Syria's future hangs in the balance after the toppling of authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad last month, with optimism for peace and democracy tempered by fears of how social and political cohesion can be restored in the deeply fragmented country.<\/p>\n<p>The European Union and its regional interlocutors \u2014 Turkey and the Gulf monarchies \u2014 are engaging with Syria's new leaders, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to encourage a peaceful and inclusive transition and avoid the breakout of a new civil war. <\/p>\n<p>\"Decisions taken now will determine (Syria's) future in the years to come,\" UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Thursday. <\/p>\n<p>\"There are great opportunities and real dangers ahead, Syria and the UN must act appropriately in view of the next phase.\"<\/p>\n<p>Massive investments in infrastructure by the international community could help stabilise Syria after 14 years of civil war, and Turkey is set to be a key player in such development.<\/p>\n<h2>Syria, a new transport hub in the Middle East?<\/h2><p>The Mesopotamian country is in urgent need of infrastructure such as railways, airports and roads to maintain the cohesion of the country and ensure the distribution of basic necessities for people and businesses.<\/p>\n<p>\"The important thing at this stage is to distribute the aid to all territories in Syria in the most effective way,\" a European Commission source told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>Turkey, which for years backed the rebels seeking to topple al-Assad, has emerged as one of the biggest winners of the new reality \u2014 and has a potentially decisive role to play in shaping Syria's future for various geographical, political and economic reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past three decades, Turkey's extensive construction and infrastructure companies have proven their effectiveness in former Soviet countries, the Balkans and the Levant, becoming versatile tools for President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan's \"near abroad\" ambitions.<\/p>\n<p>According to the recent declarations of the institutional leaders of Turkey, the EU and the Gulf countries, a Syrian territory with clear sovereignty guaranteeing its cohesion is inevitably part of this scheme.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//95//41//68//808x539_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg/" alt=\"People hold a banner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as they celebrate the fall of the Syrian government in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo\/Emra\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/384x256_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/640x427_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/750x500_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/828x552_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/1080x720_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/1200x800_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/1920x1281_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">People hold a banner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as they celebrate the fall of the Syrian government in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo\/Emra<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Emrah Gurel\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Ankara is in close contact with and shares a degree of mutual trust with the HTS rebel group, which is leading the current transitional government in Damascus and says it has broken with its jihadist past.<\/p>\n<p>Yet Syria is not yet at peace. There are frequent firefights between factions in the north and east of the country, and occasional incursions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) into the south, even beyond the Golan Heights area.<\/p>\n<h2>The Turkish construction powerhouse<\/h2><p>Turkey has two objectives: in the near term, to eliminate the threat of the Syrian Kurdish factions on its southern border, and further ahead, to increase its political influence throughout the region by becoming the go-to interlocutor for the EU.<\/p>\n<p>Road infrastructure is therefore essential as a catalyst for regional integration and trade, two key elements of Brussels' neighbourhood policy, which governs the EU's relations with 16 of the bloc's closest eastern and southern neighbours, including Syria. <\/p>\n<p>Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uralo\u011flu recently announced a government action plan for rehabilitating ports, airports, railways and bridges in Syria.<\/p>\n<p>This includes plans to rehabilitate sections of the 1750-kilometre historic Hejaz Railway in Syria \u2014 built between 1900 and 1908 \u2014 that ran from Istanbul to Medina, according to Turkish media.<\/p>\n<p>While Sultan Abdulhamid II of the Ottoman Empire envisaged the train line reaching Mecca, Ankara appears more pragmatic for now. <\/p>\n<p>\"However, at the moment it is essential to reach Damascus,\" Uralo\u011flu said.<\/p>\n<p>Luigi Narbone, Director of the Mediterranean Platform at Luiss University in Rome, explained to Euronews why Syria is an essential element of Turkey's national interest at this pivotal moment. <\/p>\n<p>\"Due to its location straddling the Gulf and the Mediterranean, (Syria) can serve Turkey to realise geoeconomic ambitions, placing it at the centre of a series of links between the Gulf region and the Mediterranean,\" said Narbone, a former head of the EU delegation in Saudi Arabia and diplomatic representative in Qatar and other Gulf monarchies.<\/p>\n<h2>Gulf money could prove key<\/h2><p>Turkish engagement in Syria will require significant investments and financial resources that might be out of reach due to the hyperinflation and public debt stifling its economy.<\/p>\n<p>\"Economic fragility is one of the limits to achieving Turkey's regional ambitions,\" Narbone said. \"It is important for it to secure economic and financial support especially from Qatar and also from other Gulf countries. Projects like the railway are perhaps a prodrome of something more important (for the region).\" <\/p>\n<p>The Gulf monarchies are also undergoing major railway development projects, which have whetted the appetites of big European industries.<\/p>\n<p>In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Railway Company has presented a 30-year investment plan to build an extensive rail transport network.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.658203125\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//96//01//00//808x532_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg/" alt=\"Pilgrims on their way to Mecca walk past the Haramain High-Speed Railway train in the holy city of Medina, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Musli\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/384x253_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/640x421_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/750x494_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/828x545_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/1080x711_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/1200x790_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/1920x1264_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Pilgrims on their way to Mecca walk past the Haramain High-Speed Railway train in the holy city of Medina, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Musli<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Amr Nabil\/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Qatar, Oman and other countries with petrodollar-rich sovereign wealth funds have also decided to focus on the development of trains. Since the 19th century, rail networks have been a driving force for regional integration but sometimes also a cause of conflict.<\/p>\n<h2>A new regional integration?<\/h2><p>If Ankara's railway ambitions for Syria were to become reality, in the future the Arabian Peninsula would be connected with high-speed tracks \u2014 thanks to the Syrian territorial platform \u2014 to the Mediterranean, to Turkey, and therefore to the vast corridor between India, the Middle East and Europe (IMEC), which is also known as the \"Cotton Road\". <\/p>\n<p>The project is supported by the US, in competition with the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, and is based on a combination of rail, road and air infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the Turkish government has announced that Syrian reconstruction will start from Damascus airport, where the first scheduled international passenger flight operated by Qatar Airways landed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\"We have worked hard to rebuild and reactivate the airport with the help of our brothers in Qatar,\" said Ashad al-Suleibi, chairman of the Syrian Air Transport Authority.<\/p>\n<p>Also last week, a Syrian official told state news agency SANA that the country will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to increase energy supplies that were reduced by damage to infrastructure during al-Assad's rule.<\/p>\n<p>The international community wants to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq some 20 years ago, according to Narbone.<\/p>\n<p>\"Relaunching the administrative machinery is crucial for reconstruction,\" he said. <\/p>\n<p>\"It is also crucial to ensure a peaceful coexistence, a reconciliation process, and to avoid the mistakes of dismantling an apparatus that is key in such a delicate transition phase.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1736426886,"updatedAt":1736530092,"publishedAt":1736505334,"firstPublishedAt":1736505334,"lastPublishedAt":1736530092,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_926b7b5b-16cb-58ed-8057-2a64dab2431f-8960100.jpg","altText":"Syrians on a bus","caption":"Syrians on a bus","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Mosa'ab Elshamy\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/01\/00\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_4229b8d0-4052-533c-be32-393f52fb172a-8960100.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":674},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/41\/68\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2ca39bd4-bcb2-5f1d-b130-c6b1e54fc5ba-8954168.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":26,"urlSafeValue":"cantone","title":"Sergio Cantone","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":284,"slug":"turkey","urlSafeValue":"turkey","title":"Turkiye (Turkey)","titleRaw":"Turkiye (Turkey)"},{"id":390,"slug":"eu-turkey","urlSafeValue":"eu-turkey","title":"EU-Turkiye","titleRaw":"EU-Turkiye"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":12005,"slug":"gulfcooperationcouncil","urlSafeValue":"gulfcooperationcouncil","title":"Gulf Cooperation Council","titleRaw":"Gulf Cooperation Council"},{"id":4169,"slug":"transport","urlSafeValue":"transport","title":"Transport","titleRaw":"Transport"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":2}],"related":[{"id":2722792},{"id":2721986},{"id":2721488}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":{"id":1802,"urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122011","80222011","84031001","84032006","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","business","business_construction","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isAutomatic":1,"isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"it","storyId":8960100,"online":1},"path":"\/2025\/01\/10\/syrias-road-ahead-how-transport-infrastructure-could-be-the-key-to-stability","lastModified":1736530092},{"id":2723508,"cid":8959656,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250109_NWSU_57469097","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA REFUGEES FUTURE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"\u2018Joy and fear\u2019: Syrian refugees ponder what 2025 holds for their homeland","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"'Joy and fear\u2019: Syrian refugees ponder the future of their homeland","titleListing2":"\u2018Joy and fear\u2019: Syrian refugees ponder what 2025 holds for their homeland","leadin":"Thirteen years after a revolution left the Middle Eastern country in civil war and led to more than 6 million Syrians fleeing as refugees, dictator Bashar Al-Assad has been deposed. Euronews spoke to three refugees about their hopes for Syria in the coming year and their thoughts on returning.","summary":"Thirteen years after a revolution left the Middle Eastern country in civil war and led to more than 6 million Syrians fleeing as refugees, dictator Bashar Al-Assad has been deposed. Euronews spoke to three refugees about their hopes for Syria in the coming year and their thoughts on returning.","keySentence":"","url":"joy-and-fear-syrian-refugees-ponder-what-2025-holds-for-their-homeland","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/09\/joy-and-fear-syrian-refugees-ponder-what-2025-holds-for-their-homeland","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Maydani, Abdulrahman, and Ahmad were all students when protests erupted across Syria and the broader region in 2011. All three of them joined the revolution, all three were imprisoned, and all three were forced to flee.\n\n\u201cAfter two months of detention, I started to lose my balance. I had a very high temperature, and it was difficult to breathe because of the air in the detention centre and the amount of torture,\u201d Maydani told Euronews, calling conditions \u201cunbearable for a human or even an animal\u201d.\n\nMaydani recalls his release after months at a military prison in the Kafr Sousa district of Syria\u2019s capital Damascus. \u201cMy father helped get me out of detention. Otherwise, I would have become one of the unidentified corpses.\u201d\n\nEven after his release, Maydani was gripped by fear of re-arrest. \u201cThey put you in prison \u2026 and then they bury you in one of the mass graves and no one from your family can know about you, not even a word,\u201d he said. \n\n\u201cI hid at home under constant terror. I could never leave the house.\u201d\n\nIt\u2019s a sentiment echoed by Abdulrahman. \n\n\u201cWhen I got out of prison, I was always afraid to walk in the street so that they would arrest me, that they would take me to prison for no reason,\u201d he told Euronews. \u201cI felt that I was living in a prison, there was no freedom, no dignity.\u201d\n\nAhmad, released after three months \u201cin a miracle,\u201d said he \u201cwas advised to leave the country directly but wanted to finish university.\u201d Maydani also remained long enough to complete his studies. Abdulrahman left straight after he was freed.\n\nThe journey out\n\nAfter fleeing Syria, Maydani, Abdulrahman and Ahmad all passed through multiple countries, notably Turkey, where Abdulrahman eventually settled along with the vast majority of other Syrian refugees \u2014 more than 3.3 million, according to UN figures.\n\nMaydani and Ahmad both made the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing, which took over a week in Ahmad\u2019s case. While Maydani ended up as one of over 100,000 Syrian refugees in Sweden, Ahmad travelled from Italy to settle in Germany, which welcomed up to 850,000 Syrian refugees, by far the highest number of any European country.\n\n\u201cI'm really grateful for being here and for the German people who helped me,\u201d Ahmad said, smiling and adding he\u2019s had a \u201cvery, very positive\u201d experience in Germany, where he continued his studies, got married, and became a teacher. \n\nAfter teaching in Turkey, Abdulrahman joined the news agency Al Jazeera, becoming an editor.\n\nFor Maydani, it was a trickier experience. \u201cThere was no one to teach us the laws, the language is different. What we studied, everything we accomplished in our lives meant nothing and we went back to square one.\u201d \n\nHaving trained as a dentist, Maydani now lives with his wife and children and runs a taxi company while his partner is retraining as a dentist.\n\nNone of the three were sure they would ever see the fall of al-Assad nor return to Syria. \n\n\u201cI never expected that anyone would be able to bring it down,\u201d exclaimed Maydani. \n\n\u201cThere was no unified leadership. Each faction leader wanted to be the president. I lost hope, frankly, and I stopped following the news\u201d.\n\nHowever, as the HTS-led rebel group launched a coordinated offensive and took Aleppo, Syria\u2019s second-largest city, this all changed. \n\n\u201cI was completely unable to concentrate, if someone greeted me, I would say hello, but I didn\u2019t listen. I was driving the car, and I hit the pavement, and the car\u2019s tyre was torn off, it broke,\u201d Maydani said.\n\nAbdulrahman was surprised, if less effusive. \u201cI had no hope that power would change in the near future. I was happy, of course. I was unable to eat or sleep well for a week.\u201d\n\nDespite his hopes, Maydani describes how \u201cthe fear was always there until the last moment.\u201d His family in Damascus \u201cwere afraid that there would be massacres, and the regime would throw explosives and burn Damascus and destroy it.\u201d\n\nHowever, when HTS officially took Damascus, they were happy. \n\n\u201cWhen they said on TV that the al-Assad regime has fallen in Syria, it made me feel happy as if I was feeling it for the first time. Every time I see this sentence, it\u2019s as if I\u2019ve just heard it for the first time,\u201d said Maydani.\n\nThe calm after, or before the storm?\n\nA month ago, the name Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) was relatively unknown in international circles, as was that of its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Yet, since it has taken control of Syria, the organisation and its leader\u2019s chequered past have been put under the spotlight.\n\nOriginally formed as a merger of multiple Sunni conservative \u2018Islamist\u2019 rebel groups from northwestern Syria in 2017, HTS was soon designated as a terrorist group by multiple countries and organisations, including the UN, the EU, and the US, who regularly launched airstrikes against it.\n\nIts leader, al-Sharaa, is an ex-al-Qaeda fighter who adopted the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a reference to his native Golan Heights, which has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 war. \n\nSince marching to victory in December, HTS has been trying to play down its controversial past and present itself as inclusive and moderate. In a recent interview with the BBC, Al-Sharaa talked of reaching out to Syria\u2019s minorities, who make up over a quarter of the population, including Christians and Alawites.\n\nHe also insisted he supported women\u2019s rights. \"We've had universities in Idlib for more than eight years, I think the percentage of women in universities is more than 60%,\" he said, referring to the province HTS has controlled for years. \n\nNot everyone is convinced. A group of more than 300 Syrian women sent a letter to UN General Secretary Antonio Gueterres stating, \u201cwe do not accept the stark absence of women leaders in the transitional government or to be excluded from international discussions.\u201d\n\nSpeaking to Euronews, Cambridge University academic and former UN lawyer in the region Victoria Stewart-Jolley was even more blunt. \n\n\u201cThe government which has taken over is pretty much the same as the Taliban,\u201d she said. \u201cNobody believes they're going to be moderate.\u201d \n\n\u00a0\u2018We are at the beginning\u2019\n\nAhmad and Abdulrahman both recognise the fears around HTS, with Ahmad admitting he was hopeful but \u201ca little bit worried\u201d about developments. \n\n\u201cI did not support the HTS\u2019s ideology and I used to see it as harmful to the Syrian revolution,\u201d Abdulrahman said, but insisted, \u201cnow its ideology has changed\u201d.\n\nHe maintains that HTS won\u2019t be given free rein. \u201cWe are giving HTS a chance for three months to run the country, but after three months there will be elections for the government, for the presidency.\u201d \n\nShortly after the BBC interview, al-Sharaa suggested elections could take up to four years.\n\nMaydani also worries that the civil war isn\u2019t over because proxies continue to back local groups, including the US-backed Kurds to the north. However, his mood overall is buoyant. \u201cI am very happy, and until now Ahmed al-Sharaa is doing a very good job for the country.\u201d\n\nOn the possibility of returning to Syria, all three plan to return in the coming weeks to visit for the first time and believe \u201cmillions\u201d of refugees will return eventually to Syria. About 70% of Syrian refugees still live in poverty.\n\n However, none have immediate plans to relocate, given the 13 years of civil war that have ravaged the country. \u201c70% of Syria is destroyed, entire neighbourhoods, entire areas, all the buildings are destroyed, completely unfit for life. So, if these people return, where will they live,\u201d Maydani asked.\n\nAhmad also pointed out that many refugee children left Syria before they could really feel rooted. \u201cThey don't have any memories \u2026 they don't have any idea about the country,\u201d he said.\n\nYet these aren\u2019t insurmountable issues, according to Maydani. \n\n\u201cIt needs time, we are here now at the beginning,\u201c he said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Maydani, Abdulrahman, and Ahmad were all students when protests erupted across Syria and the broader region in 2011. All three of them joined the revolution, all three were imprisoned, and all three were forced to flee.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter two months of detention, I started to lose my balance. I had a very high temperature, and it was difficult to breathe because of the air in the detention centre and the amount of torture,\u201d Maydani told Euronews, calling conditions \u201cunbearable for a human or even an animal\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Maydani recalls his release after months at a military prison in the Kafr Sousa district of Syria\u2019s capital Damascus. \u201cMy father helped get me out of detention. Otherwise, I would have become one of the unidentified corpses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even after his release, Maydani was gripped by fear of re-arrest. \u201cThey put you in prison \u2026 and then they bury you in one of the mass graves and no one from your family can know about you, not even a word,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI hid at home under constant terror. I could never leave the house.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8912258,8907060\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//15//mikati-calls-for-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon-to-return-home-citing-strain-on-resources/">Mikati calls for Syrian refugees in Lebanon to return home citing strain on resources<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//12//what-fate-awaits-europes-syrian-refugees-eu-home-affairs-ministers-remain-divided/">What fate awaits Europe's Syrian refugees? EU Home Affairs ministers remain divided<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a sentiment echoed by Abdulrahman. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I got out of prison, I was always afraid to walk in the street so that they would arrest me, that they would take me to prison for no reason,\u201d he told Euronews. \u201cI felt that I was living in a prison, there was no freedom, no dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ahmad, released after three months \u201cin a miracle,\u201d said he \u201cwas advised to leave the country directly but wanted to finish university.\u201d Maydani also remained long enough to complete his studies. Abdulrahman left straight after he was freed.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The journey out<\/strong><\/h2><p>After fleeing Syria, Maydani, Abdulrahman and Ahmad all passed through multiple countries, notably Turkey, where Abdulrahman eventually settled along with the vast majority of other Syrian refugees \u2014 more than 3.3 million, according to <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.unrefugees.org//news//syria-refugee-crisis-explained//#:~:text=After%20over%20a%20decade%20of,more%20than%20850%2C000%20Syrian%20refugees.\">UN figures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Maydani and Ahmad both made the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing, which took over a week in Ahmad\u2019s case. While Maydani ended up as one of over 100,000 Syrian refugees in Sweden, Ahmad travelled from Italy to settle in Germany, which welcomed up to 850,000 Syrian refugees, by far the highest number of any European country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI'm really grateful for being here and for the German people who helped me,\u201d Ahmad said, smiling and adding he\u2019s had a \u201cvery, very positive\u201d experience in Germany, where he continued his studies, got married, and became a teacher. <\/p>\n<p>After teaching in Turkey, Abdulrahman joined the news agency Al Jazeera, becoming an editor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8900360,8901512\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//10//syrian-refugees-in-turkey-begin-returning-home-as-al-assads-regime-falls/">Syrian refugees in Turkey begin returning home as al-Assad\u2019s regime falls <\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//10//with-assad-gone-the-eu-wonders-should-syrian-refugees-be-sent-back/">With Assad gone, the EU wonders: Should Syrian refugees be sent back?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>For Maydani, it was a trickier experience. \u201cThere was no one to teach us the laws, the language is different. What we studied, everything we accomplished in our lives meant nothing and we went back to square one.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Having trained as a dentist, Maydani now lives with his wife and children and runs a taxi company while his partner is retraining as a dentist.<\/p>\n<p>None of the three were sure they would ever see the fall of al-Assad nor return to Syria. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never expected that anyone would be able to bring it down,\u201d exclaimed Maydani. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was no unified leadership. Each faction leader wanted to be the president. I lost hope, frankly, and I stopped following the news\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>However, as the HTS-led rebel group launched a coordinated offensive and took Aleppo, Syria\u2019s second-largest city, this all changed. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//95//96//56//808x539_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg/" alt=\"Syrian opposition fighters celebrate after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/384x256_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/640x427_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/750x500_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/828x552_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1080x720_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1200x800_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1920x1281_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Syrian opposition fighters celebrate after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was completely unable to concentrate, if someone greeted me, I would say hello, but I didn\u2019t listen. I was driving the car, and I hit the pavement, and the car\u2019s tyre was torn off, it broke,\u201d Maydani said.<\/p>\n<p>Abdulrahman was surprised, if less effusive. \u201cI had no hope that power would change in the near future. I was happy, of course. I was unable to eat or sleep well for a week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite his hopes, Maydani describes how \u201cthe fear was always there until the last moment.\u201d His family in Damascus \u201cwere afraid that there would be massacres, and the regime would throw explosives and burn Damascus and destroy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, when HTS officially took Damascus, they were happy. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen they said on TV that the al-Assad regime has fallen in Syria, it made me feel happy as if I was feeling it for the first time. Every time I see this sentence, it\u2019s as if I\u2019ve just heard it for the first time,\u201d said Maydani.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The calm after, or before the storm?<\/strong><\/h2><p>A month ago, the name Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) was relatively unknown in international circles, as was that of its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Yet, since it has taken control of Syria, the organisation and its leader\u2019s chequered past have been put under the spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>Originally formed as a merger of multiple Sunni conservative \u2018Islamist\u2019 rebel groups from northwestern Syria in 2017, HTS was soon designated as a terrorist group by multiple countries and organisations, including the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////news.un.org//en//story//2024//12//1158126/">UN, the EU, and the US, who regularly launched airstrikes against it.<\/p>\n<p>Its leader, al-Sharaa, is an ex-al-Qaeda fighter who adopted the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a reference to his native Golan Heights, which has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 war. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//53//02//808x539_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, speaks at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/384x256_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/640x427_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/750x500_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/828x552_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/1080x720_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/1200x800_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/1920x1281_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, speaks at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Albam\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Since marching to victory in December, HTS has been trying to play down its controversial past and present itself as inclusive and moderate. In a recent interview with the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.bbc.com//news//articles//c05p9g2nqmeo/">BBC, Al-Sharaa talked of reaching out to Syria\u2019s minorities, who make up over a quarter of the population, including Christians and Alawites.<\/p>\n<p>He also insisted he supported women\u2019s rights. \"We've had universities in Idlib for more than eight years, I think the percentage of women in universities is more than 60%,\" he said, referring to the province HTS has controlled for years. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8938938,8915644\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//17//syrias-hts-leader-says-rebel-groups-will-be-disbanded-to-join-one-army/">Syria's HTS leader says rebel groups will be 'disbanded' to join one army<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//30//syrias-de-facto-leader-al-sharaa-says-it-could-take-four-years-to-hold-elections/">Syria's de facto leader al-Sharaa says it could take four years to hold elections<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Not everyone is convinced. A group of more than 300 Syrian women <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////diary.thesyriacampaign.org//women-must-shape-future-syria///">sent a letter<\/a> to UN General Secretary Antonio Gueterres stating, \u201cwe do not accept the stark absence of women leaders in the transitional government or to be excluded from international discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to Euronews, Cambridge University academic and former UN lawyer in the region Victoria Stewart-Jolley was even more blunt. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe government which has taken over is pretty much the same as the Taliban,\u201d she said. \u201cNobody believes they're going to be moderate.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2><strong>\u2018We are at the beginning\u2019<\/strong><\/h2><p>Ahmad and Abdulrahman both recognise the fears around HTS, with Ahmad admitting he was hopeful but \u201ca little bit worried\u201d about developments. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did not support the HTS\u2019s ideology and I used to see it as harmful to the Syrian revolution,\u201d Abdulrahman said, but insisted, \u201cnow its ideology has changed\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He maintains that HTS won\u2019t be given free rein. \u201cWe are giving HTS a chance for three months to run the country, but after three months there will be elections for the government, for the presidency.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Shortly after the BBC interview, al-Sharaa suggested elections could take up to four years.<\/p>\n<p>Maydani also worries that the civil war isn\u2019t over because proxies continue to back local groups, including the US-backed Kurds to the north. However, his mood overall is buoyant. \u201cI am very happy, and until now Ahmed al-Sharaa is doing a very good job for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//95//96//56//808x539_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg/" alt=\"People celebrate during New Year&#39;s Eve festivities at Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/384x256_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/640x427_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/750x500_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/828x552_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1080x720_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1200x800_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/1920x1281_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">People celebrate during New Year&#39;s Eve festivities at Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>On the possibility of returning to Syria, all three plan to return in the coming weeks to visit for the first time and believe \u201cmillions\u201d of refugees will return eventually to Syria. About 70% of Syrian refugees still live in poverty.<\/p>\n<p> However, none have immediate plans to relocate, given the 13 years of civil war that have ravaged the country. \u201c70% of Syria is destroyed, entire neighbourhoods, entire areas, all the buildings are destroyed, completely unfit for life. So, if these people return, where will they live,\u201d Maydani asked.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8935836,8944992\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//27//elderly-syrian-couple-returns-to-ruined-home-in-harasta-hopeful-despite-destruction/">Elderly Syrian couple returns to ruined home in Harasta, hopeful despite destruction<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//02//homs-ravaged-by-destruction-leaving-some-areas-uninhabitable/">Homs ravaged by destruction, leaving some areas uninhabitable<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Ahmad also pointed out that many refugee children left Syria before they could really feel rooted. \u201cThey don't have any memories \u2026 they don't have any idea about the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Yet these aren\u2019t insurmountable issues, according to Maydani. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt needs time, we are here now at the beginning,\u201c he said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1736420560,"updatedAt":1736424782,"publishedAt":1736423527,"firstPublishedAt":1736423527,"lastPublishedAt":1736424451,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_46e68d19-e7f4-5d80-bcef-7b02a48584c7-8959656.jpg","altText":"FILE: People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 8, 2024","caption":"FILE: People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 8, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Emrah Gurel\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":995,"height":559},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a8c6e5b4-2eb0-59a4-b09e-476b8a58d3b3-8959656.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/96\/56\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_face81a6-c944-57ca-9b88-117ee9e48f4d-8959656.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/53\/02\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_97b23edd-d3c0-549f-b257-479ab4a127c5-8925302.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3236,"urlSafeValue":"holyoke","title":"Gregory Holyoke","twitter":"@GregoryHolyoke"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":15206,"slug":"suriyeli-multeciler","urlSafeValue":"suriyeli-multeciler","title":"Syrian refugees","titleRaw":"Syrian refugees"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":10547,"slug":"syrian-politics","urlSafeValue":"syrian-politics","title":"Syrian politics","titleRaw":"Syrian politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3},{"slug":"related","count":4}],"related":[{"id":2722792},{"id":2721986},{"id":2718298}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":{"id":1802,"urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122006","80122009","80122011","80222006","80222009","80222011","84051001","84052001","84061001","84062001","84111001","84112001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","education","education_general","family_and_parenting","family_and_parenting_general","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","society","society_general","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2025\/01\/09\/joy-and-fear-syrian-refugees-ponder-what-2025-holds-for-their-homeland","lastModified":1736424451},{"id":2721986,"cid":8955630,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250107_NCSU_57453739","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC 5 - SYRIA 1ST FLIGHT PASSENGERS SING","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":6},{"id":8},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria reopens international air travel as Qatar Airways flight lands in Damascus","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria reopens international air travel as flight lands in Damascus","titleListing2":"Syria reopens international air travel as Qatar Airways flight lands in Damascus","leadin":"On 7 January, Qatar Airways made the first international commercial flight to Damascus since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.","summary":"On 7 January, Qatar Airways made the first international commercial flight to Damascus since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.","keySentence":"","url":"syria-reopens-international-air-travel-as-qatar-airways-flight-lands-in-damascus","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/07\/syria-reopens-international-air-travel-as-qatar-airways-flight-lands-in-damascus","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The arriving passengers were greeted by relatives at the airport, while Syrian flags were waved aboard the flights.\n\nQatar assisted in reconstructing the airport, which was damaged by years of conflict. Meanwhile, a Royal Jordanian Airlines flight also evaluated the airport's technical condition.\n\nThis marks a new chapter for Syria, as diplomatic relations and potential reconstruction in partnership with Gulf countries begin.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The arriving passengers were greeted by relatives at the airport, while Syrian flags were waved aboard the flights.<\/p>\n<p>Qatar assisted in reconstructing the airport, which was damaged by years of conflict. Meanwhile, a Royal Jordanian Airlines flight also evaluated the airport's technical condition.<\/p>\n<p>This marks a new chapter for Syria, as diplomatic relations and potential reconstruction in partnership with Gulf countries begin.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1736272797,"updatedAt":1736285572,"publishedAt":1736278641,"firstPublishedAt":1736278641,"lastPublishedAt":1736285557,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/56\/30\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0c4ee8e1-3ae4-5a4c-9820-d451f467c64d-8955630.jpg","altText":"Syrian passengers sing onboard first Qatar Airways flight to Damascus since Assad\u2019s departure","caption":"Syrian passengers sing onboard first Qatar Airways flight to Damascus since Assad\u2019s departure","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"id":192,"urlSafeValue":"marcaud","title":"Jean-Christophe Marcaud","twitter":null}]},"keywords":[{"id":12523,"slug":"airport","urlSafeValue":"airport","title":"Airport","titleRaw":"Airport"},{"id":13028,"slug":"flight","urlSafeValue":"flight","title":"flight","titleRaw":"flight"},{"id":234,"slug":"qatar","urlSafeValue":"qatar","title":"Qatar","titleRaw":"Qatar"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":12878,"slug":"airplane","urlSafeValue":"airplane","title":"airplane","titleRaw":"airplane"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2717468},{"id":2723508},{"id":2723658}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"hbhe6tVIToY","dailymotionId":"x9bysie"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/07\/en\/250107_NCSU_57453739_57454043_60000_195917_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":8130403,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/07\/en\/250107_NCSU_57453739_57454043_60000_195917_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":12370787,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":{"id":1802,"urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/video\/2025\/01\/07\/syria-reopens-international-air-travel-as-qatar-airways-flight-lands-in-damascus","lastModified":1736285557},{"id":2718298,"cid":8947164,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250103_NWSU_57421570","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA FRENCH GERMAN DELEGATION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"German and French foreign ministers in Syria for first official visit from EU countries","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":" German and French foreign ministers visit Syria","titleListing2":"German and French foreign ministers in Syria for first official visit from EU countries","leadin":"Annalena Baerbock and Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot hope to show a \"new beginning\" is possible between Europe and Syria.","summary":"Annalena Baerbock and Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot hope to show a \"new beginning\" is possible between Europe and Syria.","keySentence":"","url":"german-and-french-foreign-ministers-in-syria-for-first-official-visit-from-eu-countries","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/03\/german-and-french-foreign-ministers-in-syria-for-first-official-visit-from-eu-countries","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The German and French foreign ministers travelled to Damascus to send what the German minister described as a clear signal that a \"new political beginning between Europe and Syria is possible.\"\n\nIt is the first official visit to the country by top diplomats from European Union member states since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.\n\nGermany's Annalena Baerbock and France's Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot are expected to meet Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that toppled al-Assad, as well as representatives of Syrian civil society on Friday.\n\nBaerbock said there can be a \u201cnew beginning\u201d only if the new Syrian society grants all people, regardless of ethnic or religious background, a place in the political process along with rights and protection.\n\nShe said those rights should not be undermined by an overly long transition to elections or by \u201csteps toward the Islamification of the justice or education system,\u201d that there should be no acts of revenge against entire groups of the population, and that extremism should have no place.\n\n\"It is important that I am here with my colleague the French Foreign Minister on behalf of the European Union,\" she said while in Damascus, thanking the Syrian White Helmets for their civil work during Al-Assad's rule.\n\nFrench Foreign Minister Barrot began the visit on Friday with a meeting with Christian religious leaders in Damascus. He posted on X that the two countries \u201cwant to promote a peaceful and urgent transition in the service of Syrians and for regional stability.\u201d\n\nBarrot also visited the French embassy in the Syrian capital, which opened its doors a few weeks ago after 13 years of closure.\n\nSince al-Assad\u2019s ouster in a lightning offensive by opposition forces, Damascus has experienced a flurry of visits from Arab and Western countries that had cut off relations with the government during the country\u2019s nearly 14-year civil war.\n\nHowever, Western countries have so far not lifted sanctions placed on Syria under al-Assad or removed the designation of HTS as a terrorist group, although the United States lifted the nearly \u20ac10 million bounty it previously placed on al-Sharaa.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The German and French foreign ministers travelled to Damascus to send what the German minister described as a clear signal that a \"new political beginning between Europe and Syria is possible.\"<\/p>\n<p>It is the first official visit to the country by top diplomats from European Union member states since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.<\/p>\n<p>Germany's Annalena Baerbock and France's Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot are expected to meet Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that toppled al-Assad, as well as representatives of Syrian civil society on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Baerbock said there can be a \u201cnew beginning\u201d only if the new Syrian society grants all people, regardless of ethnic or religious background, a place in the political process along with rights and protection.<\/p>\n<p>She said those rights should not be undermined by an overly long transition to elections or by \u201csteps toward the Islamification of the justice or education system,\u201d that there should be no acts of revenge against entire groups of the population, and that extremism should have no place.<\/p>\n<p>\"It is important that I am here with my colleague the French Foreign Minister on behalf of the European Union,\" she said while in Damascus, thanking the Syrian White Helmets for their civil work during Al-Assad's rule.<\/p>\n<p>French Foreign Minister Barrot began the visit on Friday with a meeting with Christian religious leaders in Damascus. He posted on X that the two countries \u201cwant to promote a peaceful and urgent transition in the service of Syrians and for regional stability.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8921592\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//19//how-melonis-al-assad-bet-in-syria-failed/">How Italian PM Giorgia Meloni's al-Assad bet in Syria failed<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Barrot also visited the French embassy in the Syrian capital, which opened its doors a few weeks ago after 13 years of closure.<\/p>\n<p>Since al-Assad\u2019s ouster in a lightning offensive by opposition forces, Damascus has experienced a flurry of visits from Arab and Western countries that had cut off relations with the government during the country\u2019s nearly 14-year civil war.<\/p>\n<p>However, Western countries have so far not lifted sanctions placed on Syria under al-Assad or removed the designation of HTS as a terrorist group, although the United States lifted the nearly \u20ac10 million bounty it previously placed on al-Sharaa.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735897637,"updatedAt":1735920932,"publishedAt":1735904652,"firstPublishedAt":1735904652,"lastPublishedAt":1735906636,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/94\/71\/64\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_16c285df-3f58-5f5d-88c5-782b3abc39e9-8947164.jpg","altText":"Annalena Baerbock arrives in Damascus","caption":"Annalena Baerbock arrives in Damascus","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"The Associated Press","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3168,"urlSafeValue":"de-ruiter","title":"Emma De Ruiter","twitter":"@ruiter_emma"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":117,"slug":"france","urlSafeValue":"france","title":"France","titleRaw":"France"},{"id":13410,"slug":"foreign-minister","urlSafeValue":"foreign-minister","title":"Foreign Minister","titleRaw":"Foreign Minister"},{"id":7923,"slug":"international-relations","urlSafeValue":"international-relations","title":"International relations","titleRaw":"International relations"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2714976}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"bo_-EdQcRd0","dailymotionId":"x9bqoty"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/03\/en\/250103_NWSU_57421570_57421638_88000_125117_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":88000,"filesizeBytes":11715924,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/03\/en\/250103_NWSU_57421570_57421638_88000_125117_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":88000,"filesizeBytes":17352020,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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BACK TO NORMAL LIFE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Volunteers plant trees as Syria's battered Aleppo returns to life","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Volunteers plant trees as Syria's battered Aleppo returns to life","titleListing2":"Volunteers plant trees as Syria's battered Aleppo returns to life","leadin":"Aleppo was the first city where rebels drove out Bashar Al-Assad's troops, and its residents have been living freer lives for a month.","summary":"Aleppo was the first city where rebels drove out Bashar Al-Assad's troops, and its residents have been living freer lives for a month.","keySentence":"","url":"volunteers-plant-trees-as-syrias-battered-aleppo-returns-to-life","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/02\/volunteers-plant-trees-as-syrias-battered-aleppo-returns-to-life","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Almost one month after Islamist rebels toppled the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, volunteers in Aleppo are working to transform the ancient city's landscape, planting saplings in its streets and alleyways. \n\nTrees and flowers have also been planted in parks, bringing new life to a war-weary city. Officials and locals, including Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims, have all joined in.\n\nThe civil war in Syria left its deepest scars in Aleppo. Many parts of it were bombed, much of it by Russian warplanes, which resulted in massive destruction.\n\nThen it became the first city where the rebels drove out Assad's troops at the end of November. \n\nThe city's residents have been living their new lives for a month now under a transitional government led by the Islamic rebel group HTS.\n\nThe takeover of Aleppo was well prepared. Posters with QR codes that refer to WhatsApp groups where citizens are informed about practical city matters are now hanging in the streets. \n\nResidents are positive, especially because improvements are immediately visible. For example, cooking oil and cola from Turkey are available again. \u201cThe economic situation is better now and will hopefully get even better still,\" a resident says.\n\nThe leaders of HTS say that their primary aim is to restore order and prevent chaos in the period of transition. A temporary solution, but the question is of course whether these men will be prepared to share power later on. \n\n\"We consider ourselves servants of the people\", says Fawaz Hilal, HTS representative in Aleppo. \"If the people choose us, we do our duty. If they do not choose us, we accept that too,\" he said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Almost one month after Islamist rebels toppled the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, volunteers in Aleppo are working to transform the ancient city's landscape, planting saplings in its streets and alleyways. <\/p>\n<p>Trees and flowers have also been planted in parks, bringing new life to a war-weary city. Officials and locals, including Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims, have all joined in.<\/p>\n<p>The civil war in Syria left its deepest scars in Aleppo. Many parts of it were bombed, much of it by Russian warplanes, which resulted in massive destruction.<\/p>\n<p>Then it became the first city where the rebels drove out Assad's troops at the end of November. <\/p>\n<p>The city's residents have been living their new lives for a month now under a transitional government led by the Islamic rebel group HTS.<\/p>\n<p>The takeover of Aleppo was well prepared. Posters with QR codes that refer to WhatsApp groups where citizens are informed about practical city matters are now hanging in the streets. <\/p>\n<p>Residents are positive, especially because improvements are immediately visible. For example, cooking oil and cola from Turkey are available again. \u201cThe economic situation is better now and will hopefully get even better still,\" a resident says.<\/p>\n<p>The leaders of HTS say that their primary aim is to restore order and prevent chaos in the period of transition. A temporary solution, but the question is of course whether these men will be prepared to share power later on. <\/p>\n<p>\"We consider ourselves servants of the people\", says Fawaz Hilal, HTS representative in Aleppo. \"If the people choose us, we do our duty. If they do not choose us, we accept that too,\" he said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735828037,"updatedAt":1735850344,"publishedAt":1735850030,"firstPublishedAt":1735850030,"lastPublishedAt":1735850030,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/94\/58\/66\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_95259dc7-ad65-5ed0-bec0-8040615b7c38-8945866.jpg","altText":"Residents of Aleppo help to plant trees and flowers.","caption":"Residents of Aleppo help to plant trees and flowers.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"EBU","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":960,"height":540}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3168,"urlSafeValue":"de-ruiter","title":"Emma De Ruiter","twitter":"@ruiter_emma"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":14006,"slug":"rebuilding","urlSafeValue":"rebuilding","title":"Rebuilding","titleRaw":"Rebuilding"},{"id":22784,"slug":"aleppo","urlSafeValue":"aleppo","title":"Aleppo","titleRaw":"Aleppo"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2714976},{"id":2710188}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"jqDY4YxwA34","dailymotionId":"x9bp9fo"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/02\/en\/250102_NWSU_57415984_57416040_60000_211425_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":7782119,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/02\/en\/250102_NWSU_57415984_57416040_60000_211425_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":12101863,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"EBU","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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2 SYRIA HOMS DESTRUCTION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Homs ravaged by destruction, leaving some areas uninhabitable","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Homs ravaged by destruction, leaving some areas uninhabitable","titleListing2":"Homs ravaged by destruction, leaving some areas uninhabitable","leadin":"The Syrian civil war has caused widespread devastation in parts of Homs, turning it into a barren and lifeless city.","summary":"The Syrian civil war has caused widespread devastation in parts of Homs, turning it into a barren and lifeless city.","keySentence":"","url":"homs-ravaged-by-destruction-leaving-some-areas-uninhabitable","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/02\/homs-ravaged-by-destruction-leaving-some-areas-uninhabitable","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Huge numbers of buildings were destroyed during the war as Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad's forces deliberately destroyed buildings and sold their iron bars.\n\nHoms has been the centre of the Syrian revolution since its beginning. Several neighbourhoods have been under siege and heavy bombardment for years\n\nHoms, Syria's third-largest city, is also one of its most strategic, serving as a vital hub for energy resources.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Huge numbers of buildings were destroyed during the war as Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad's forces deliberately destroyed buildings and sold their iron bars.<\/p>\n<p>Homs has been the centre of the Syrian revolution since its beginning. Several neighbourhoods have been under siege and heavy bombardment for years<\/p>\n<p>Homs, Syria's third-largest city, is also one of its most strategic, serving as a vital hub for energy resources.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735812043,"updatedAt":1735827353,"publishedAt":1735815658,"firstPublishedAt":1735815658,"lastPublishedAt":1735815658,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/94\/49\/92\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f1a905f4-f219-560c-9356-23b02fc71841-8944992.jpg","altText":"Massive destruction in Homs leaves some areas unfit for habitation","caption":"Massive destruction in Homs leaves some areas unfit for habitation","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2721986}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"ICx63kRni40","dailymotionId":"x9bo8di"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/02\/en\/250102_NCSU_57413322_57413403_60000_110644_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":7776579,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/02\/en\/250102_NCSU_57413322_57413403_60000_110644_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":11902275,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No 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\u2013 Syria synagogue","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria\u2019s dwindling Jewish community can return to one of the world\u2019s oldest synagogues","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria\u2019s last Jews can return to one of the world\u2019s oldest synagogues","titleListing2":"Syria\u2019s dwindling Jewish community can return to one of the world\u2019s oldest synagogues","leadin":"After 13 years of civil war, Syria\u2019s dwindling Jewish community can return to the Jobar Synagogue in Damascus, one of the world\u2019s oldest, where they once gathered for prayers before the conflict left it partially destroyed.","summary":"After 13 years of civil war, Syria\u2019s dwindling Jewish community can return to the Jobar Synagogue in Damascus, one of the world\u2019s oldest, where they once gathered for prayers before the conflict left it partially destroyed.","keySentence":"","url":"syrias-dwindling-jewish-community-can-return-to-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-synagogues","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2024\/12\/30\/syrias-dwindling-jewish-community-can-return-to-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-synagogues","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Jobar, a Damascus suburb that was heavily bombed during the war, is now accessible again, following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's regime earlier in December. The Jobar Synagogue, or Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, is one of the few religious landmarks still standing in a region that was once home to a thriving Jewish community, dating back thousands of years.\n\nBakhour Chamntoub, the 74-year-old head of the Jewish community in Syria, recently visited the synagogue for the first time in 15 years.\u00a0\n\n\u201cThis synagogue means a lot to us,\u201d he told The Associated Press, his voice heavy with emotion. Although he had heard of the damage, he was not prepared for the devastation: \u201cI am frankly disturbed,\u201d he said, surveying the pile of rubble where walls and roofs had collapsed, and valuable artefacts disappeared, likely looted.\n\nSyria's Jewish population has dramatically declined since the founding of Israel in 1948, and today only nine Jews remain in the country. Most are elderly, with the community expecting that no Jews will remain in Syria in a few years.\u00a0\n\nChamntoub, who has spent his life in Syria, is among the few who openly maintain their faith in a country where anti-Israel sentiment often makes such openness dangerous. \u201cI never faced discrimination,\u201d he remarked, however, explaining that others keep their Jewish identity private for fear of being labelled spies or collaborators.\n\nThe Jobar Synagogue was once a centre of Jewish life in Damascus, where Chamntoub and his community prayed on Saturdays, a practice disrupted by the war. The synagogue\u2019s destruction is a painful reminder of the community\u2019s fragility. \u201cIt was a beautiful religious place,\u201d said Barakat Hazroumi, a Muslim who lived nearby, recalling how he would assist Jewish worshippers by lighting candles on the Sabbath.\n\nThe Jewish community in Syria has a history spanning nearly 3,000 years, beginning with the prophet Elijah\u2019s time in Damascus. After the First Crusade in 1099, around 50,000 Jews fled Jerusalem and settled in Damascus, forming a significant portion of the city\u2019s population. \n\nLater, Jews arrived from Europe, escaping the Spanish Inquisition. By the early 20th century, Syria\u2019s Jewish population numbered about 100,000. Following the creation of Israel tensions rose and many Jews emigrated, particularly in the post-1948 period. \n\nUnder the Assad regime, Jews were allowed to practice their faith, but travel restrictions were imposed to prevent emigration, particularly to Israel. These restrictions eased in the early 1990s leading to further emigration.\n\nIn the aftermath of the war, there is hope for the rebuilding of the synagogue and the wider Jewish quarter of Damascus, which has largely been abandoned. But with the community shrinking, Chamntoub now marks the Jewish festival of Hanukkah alone at home, cooking vegetarian meals and receiving parcels of kosher meat from family abroad. \n\n\"I am a Jew and I am proud of it,\" he said, expressing hope that with the fall of Assad, Syrians will enjoy more freedoms, economic and otherwise.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Jobar, a Damascus suburb that was heavily bombed during the war, is now accessible again, following the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//30//syrias-de-facto-leader-al-sharaa-says-it-could-take-four-years-to-hold-elections/">overthrow of President Bashar Assad's regime<\/a> earlier in December. The Jobar Synagogue, or Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, is one of the few religious landmarks still standing in a region that was once home to a thriving Jewish community, dating back thousands of years.<\/p>\n<p>Bakhour Chamntoub, the 74-year-old head of the Jewish community in Syria, recently visited the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2022//06//12//life-that-was-experts-restore-historic-synagogues-in-europe-s-first-jewish-ghetto/">synagogue for the first time in 15 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//93//98//24//808x539_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg/" alt=\"A Syrian man observes the destroyed Jobar Synagogue, also known as Eliyahu Hanavi.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/384x256_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/640x427_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/750x500_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/828x552_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/1080x720_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/1200x800_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/1920x1281_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A Syrian man observes the destroyed Jobar Synagogue, also known as Eliyahu Hanavi.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Hussein Malla\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All right reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis synagogue means a lot to us,\u201d he told The Associated Press, his voice heavy with emotion. Although he had heard of the damage, he was not prepared for the devastation: \u201cI am frankly disturbed,\u201d he said, surveying the pile of rubble where walls and roofs had collapsed, and valuable artefacts disappeared, likely looted.<\/p>\n<p>Syria's Jewish population has dramatically declined since the founding of Israel in 1948, and today only nine Jews remain in the country. Most are elderly, with the community expecting that no Jews will remain in Syria in a few years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Chamntoub, who has spent his life in Syria, is among the few who openly maintain their faith in a country where anti-Israel sentiment often makes such openness dangerous. \u201cI never faced discrimination,\u201d he remarked, however, explaining that others keep their Jewish identity private for fear of being labelled spies or collaborators.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6572265625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//93//85//04//808x532_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg/" alt=\"Bakhour Chamantoub, 74, right, the head of the Jewish community in Syria, stands in front the destroyed Jobar Synagogue.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/384x252_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/640x421_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/750x493_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/828x544_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1080x710_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1200x789_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1920x1262_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Bakhour Chamantoub, 74, right, the head of the Jewish community in Syria, stands in front the destroyed Jobar Synagogue.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Jobar Synagogue was once a centre of Jewish life in Damascus, where Chamntoub and his community prayed on Saturdays, a practice disrupted by the war. The synagogue\u2019s destruction is a painful reminder of the community\u2019s fragility. \u201cIt was a beautiful religious place,\u201d said Barakat Hazroumi, a Muslim who lived nearby, recalling how he would assist Jewish worshippers by lighting candles on the Sabbath.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//culture//2023//06//23//germany-opens-biggest-jewish-centre-since-holocaust/">Jewish community<\/a> in Syria has a history spanning nearly 3,000 years, beginning with the prophet Elijah\u2019s time in Damascus. After the First Crusade in 1099, around 50,000 Jews fled Jerusalem and settled in Damascus, forming a significant portion of the city\u2019s population. <\/p>\n<p>Later, Jews arrived from Europe, escaping the Spanish Inquisition. By the early 20th century, Syria\u2019s Jewish population numbered about 100,000. Following the creation of Israel tensions rose and many Jews emigrated, particularly in the post-1948 period. <\/p>\n<p>Under the Assad regime, Jews were allowed to practice their faith, but travel restrictions were imposed to prevent emigration, particularly to Israel. These restrictions eased in the early 1990s leading to further emigration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//93//85//04//808x539_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg/" alt=\"Bakhour Chamantoub stands outside his house in Damascus.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/384x256_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/640x427_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/750x500_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/828x552_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1080x720_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1200x800_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/1920x1281_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Bakhour Chamantoub stands outside his house in Damascus.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In the aftermath of the war, there is hope for the rebuilding of the synagogue and the wider Jewish quarter of Damascus, which has largely been abandoned. But with the community shrinking, Chamntoub now marks the Jewish festival of <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//culture//2024//12//23//hanukkah-begins-on-christmas-day-in-rare-calendar-convergence#:~:text=By%20Euronews%20with%20AP&text=Hanukkah%20(also%20spelled%20Chanukah)%20is,December%20to%202%20January%202025.\">Hanukkah<\/a> alone at home, cooking vegetarian meals and receiving parcels of kosher meat from family abroad. <\/p>\n<p>\"I am a Jew and I am proud of it,\" he said, expressing hope that with the fall of Assad, Syrians will enjoy more freedoms, economic and otherwise.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735557199,"updatedAt":1735566333,"publishedAt":1735565563,"firstPublishedAt":1735565563,"lastPublishedAt":1735565589,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_834c8193-31a2-5e4c-bda5-06cd99227d8e-8938504.jpg","altText":"Bakhour Chamantoub, 74, right, the head of the Jewish community in Syria, speaks with a Syrian man during his visit to the destroyed Jobar Synagogue.","caption":"Bakhour Chamantoub, 74, right, the head of the Jewish community in Syria, speaks with a Syrian man during his visit to the destroyed Jobar Synagogue.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/98\/24\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_081ea2a2-98c5-543c-92b7-0af69c2212af-8939824.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_80594f69-4a16-513a-8d00-c3976843c430-8938504.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/85\/04\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_95eaefd7-2c08-5399-9227-2881cefcaa70-8938504.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":673}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10917,"slug":"synagogue","urlSafeValue":"synagogue","title":"Synagogue","titleRaw":"Synagogue"},{"id":28420,"slug":"jewish-community","urlSafeValue":"jewish-community","title":"Jewish 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news"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":{"id":1802,"urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84181001","84182009","84251001","84252015"],"slugs":["religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_judaism","travel","travel_europe"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/culture\/2024\/12\/30\/syrias-dwindling-jewish-community-can-return-to-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-synagogues","lastModified":1735565589},{"id":2714842,"cid":8938688,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241229_NWSU_57388647","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Israeli airstrike on Syria kills 11 people, war monitor reports","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Israeli airstrike on Syria kills 11 people, war monitor reports","titleListing2":"Israeli airstrike on Syria kills 11 people, war monitor reports","leadin":"Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure, even after the ouster of former President Bashar Assad three weeks ago.","summary":"Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure, even after the ouster of former President Bashar Assad three weeks ago.","keySentence":"","url":"israeli-airstrike-on-syria-kills-11-people-war-monitor-reports","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/29\/israeli-airstrike-on-syria-kills-11-people-war-monitor-reports","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad\u2019s forces near the industrial town of Adra, near the capital Damascus. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. \n\nBeirut-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV also reported the airstrike but put the death toll at six. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike on Sunday. \n\nIsrael, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country's uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Israel also wants to remove a threat posed by weapons in Syria, which is now governed by Islamists. \n\nSyrian insurgents who ousted Assad in a lightning offensive in early December have demanded that Israel cease its airstrikes. \n\nElsewhere, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, which is under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, following weekslong clashes. \n\nThe SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij, which the Turkish-back group captured earlier this month. The Kurdish-led group is Washington's key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad\u2019s forces near the industrial town of Adra, near the capital Damascus. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. <\/p>\n<p>Beirut-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV also reported the airstrike but put the death toll at six. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike on Sunday. <\/p>\n<p>Israel, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country's uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Israel also wants to remove a threat posed by weapons in Syria, which is now governed by Islamists. <\/p>\n<p>Syrian insurgents who ousted Assad in a lightning offensive in early December have demanded that Israel cease its airstrikes. <\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, which is under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, following weekslong clashes. <\/p>\n<p>The SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij, which the Turkish-back group captured earlier this month. The Kurdish-led group is Washington's key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735494051,"updatedAt":1735494672,"publishedAt":1735494669,"firstPublishedAt":1735494669,"lastPublishedAt":1735494669,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/86\/88\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0d2b5282-3be3-5d2c-be29-e0f55e3b4a60-8938688.jpg","altText":"FILE - Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike on an area in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024","caption":"FILE - Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike on an area in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":1074,"urlSafeValue":"bellamy","title":"Daniel Bellamy","twitter":"danbel"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":15554,"slug":"airstrike","urlSafeValue":"airstrike","title":"Airstrike","titleRaw":"Airstrike"},{"id":10505,"slug":"israel-attack","urlSafeValue":"israel-attack","title":"Israel attack","titleRaw":"Israel attack"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122009","80122022","80222009","84181001","84182008"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","death_and_injury_low_risk","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_islam"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/29\/israeli-airstrike-on-syria-kills-11-people-war-monitor-reports","lastModified":1735494669},{"id":2713352,"cid":8935836,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241227_NCSU_57377580","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC 6 SYRIA FAMILY RETURN","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":5},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Elderly Syrian couple returns to ruined home in Harasta, hopeful despite destruction","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Elderly Syrian couple returns to ruined home in Harasta","titleListing2":"Elderly Syrian couple returns to ruined home in Harasta, hopeful despite destruction","leadin":"After years under Assad's rule, some Syrians are returning to their hometowns, looking to the future with hope despite the widespread destruction they face.","summary":"After years under Assad's rule, some Syrians are returning to their hometowns, looking to the future with hope despite the widespread destruction they face.","keySentence":"","url":"elderly-syrian-couple-returns-to-ruined-home-in-harasta-hopeful-despite-destruction","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/27\/elderly-syrian-couple-returns-to-ruined-home-in-harasta-hopeful-despite-destruction","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Among those who have returned to their homes in Harasta is an elderly Syrian couple, two of the millions of Syrians who have lost their homes.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Among those who have returned to their homes in Harasta is an elderly Syrian couple, two of the millions of Syrians who have lost their homes.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735314362,"updatedAt":1735318805,"publishedAt":1735318369,"firstPublishedAt":1735318369,"lastPublishedAt":1735318369,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/58\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f466ce0c-8f94-5643-b5f6-70bb8a57c86f-8935836.jpg","altText":"Syrian elderly couple return to ruined home in ghost town Damascus` suburb Harasta","caption":"Syrian elderly couple return to ruined home in ghost town Damascus` suburb Harasta","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"EBU","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":1802,"slug":"damascus","urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus","titleRaw":"Damascus"},{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2713368}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"dailymotionId":"x9bfd5u"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NC\/SU\/24\/12\/27\/en\/241227_NCSU_57377580_57377727_60000_165609_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":7977810,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NC\/SU\/24\/12\/27\/en\/241227_NCSU_57377580_57377727_60000_165609_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":11735378,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"EBU","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No 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ASSAD GENERAL ARRESTED IN SYRIA","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria arrests top official who sentenced thousands to death in Sednaya, report claims","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria arrests top official responsible for deaths in Sednaya \u2014 report","titleListing2":"Syria arrests top official who sentenced thousands to death in Sednaya, report claims","leadin":"The hunt for the former head of the military judiciary under long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, Mohammed Kanjou al-Hassan, sparked deadly clashes in the west of the country between al-Assad loyalists and government security officials.","summary":"The hunt for the former head of the military judiciary under long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, Mohammed Kanjou al-Hassan, sparked deadly clashes in the west of the country between al-Assad loyalists and government security officials.","keySentence":"","url":"syria-arrests-top-official-who-sentenced-thousands-to-death-in-sednaya-report-claims","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/27\/syria-arrests-top-official-who-sentenced-thousands-to-death-in-sednaya-report-claims","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Syria's new government have arrested a top military official responsible for issuing thousands of death sentences in the country's infamous Sednaya prison under former leader Bashar al-Assad, UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.\n\nAccording to the organisation that has been monitoring the war in Syria for over a decade, al-Hassan was arrested alongside 20 others on Thursday after clashes erupted in the coastal province of Tartus between security officials and al-Assad loyalists who sought to protect the former justice. \n\nFourteen members of the government forces were killed in clashes, according to Mohammed Abdel Rahman, Syria\u2019s interim interior minister.\n\nAl-Hassan would be the highest-ranking official to be arrested since rebel fighters led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, led a stunning offensive that toppled long-time leader Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. \n\nIn 2023, al-Hassan was sanctioned by the UK government for \"repressing the civilian population in Syria.\" The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said al-Hassan was responsible for crimes in the country's infamous Sednaya prison -- where humanitarian organisations warned opponents of al-Assad's regime were relentlessly tortured. \n\nNGO the Association of Prisoners and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison (ADMSP), said al-Hassan headed the Syrian military court from 2011 to 2014 during the first three years of civil war in Syria. He was then promoted to head of the country's military justice system. \n\nADMSP's co-founder, Diab Serrija, said al-Hassan sentenced \"thousands of people\" to death during his tenure whilst simultaneously extorting around \u20ac143 million from relatives of the prisoners in exchange for information about their loved ones. \n\nThe National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, founded in exile, said al-Hassan was one of the \"Assad regime's criminals\" and that his arrest marked an important step towards the investigation of crimes committed under al-Assad's rule. \n\nThe move indicates that members of HTS are stepping up efforts to hold former members of the al-Assad regime accountable as they attempt to build a system of governance in the fractured country. \n\nInternational organisations have called for the urgent establishment of mechanisms of accountability in the country where a new judiciary has not yet been organised by rebel fighters. \n\nInstances of unrest in various parts of the country indicate that HTS may face challenges in trying to implement peaceful governance. Over the past week, members of al-Assad's minority Alawite community have staged protests in the west and in the central city of Homs over a video posted online allegedly showing an Alawite shrine set alight. \n\nAlongside deadly clashes during the hunt for al-Hassan, protests also broke out in the country's capital of Damascus over the burning of a Christmas tree \u2014 sparking fears of sectarian conflict. \n\nHTS has promised to create a pluralist system in the country home to multiple religious communities. Their group is, however, rooted in a fundamentalist Islamist ideology, leading to concern that minority communities, including Christians, Druse and Alawites, could face prosecution. \n\nHTS' leader Ahmad al-Shara, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has promised that minorities will be protected.\n\nOn Thursday, the interim Ministry of Information said it was banning the publication of content with \u201ca sectarian character that seeks to spread division.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Syria's new government have arrested a top military official responsible for issuing thousands of death sentences in the country's infamous Sednaya prison under former leader Bashar al-Assad, UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.<\/p>\n<p>According to the organisation that has been monitoring the war in Syria for over a decade, al-Hassan was arrested alongside 20 others on Thursday after clashes erupted in the coastal province of Tartus between security officials and al-Assad loyalists who sought to protect the former justice. <\/p>\n<p>Fourteen members of the government forces were killed in clashes, according to Mohammed Abdel Rahman, Syria\u2019s interim interior minister.<\/p>\n<p>Al-Hassan would be the highest-ranking official to be arrested since rebel fighters led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, led a stunning offensive that toppled long-time leader Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. <\/p>\n<p>In 2023, al-Hassan was sanctioned by the UK government for \"repressing the civilian population in Syria.\" The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said al-Hassan was responsible for crimes in the country's infamous Sednaya prison -- where humanitarian organisations warned opponents of al-Assad's regime were relentlessly tortured. <\/p>\n<p>NGO the Association of Prisoners and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison (ADMSP), said al-Hassan headed the Syrian military court from 2011 to 2014 during the first three years of civil war in Syria. He was then promoted to head of the country's military justice system. <\/p>\n<p>ADMSP's co-founder, Diab Serrija, said al-Hassan sentenced \"thousands of people\" to death during his tenure whilst simultaneously extorting around \u20ac143 million from relatives of the prisoners in exchange for information about their loved ones. <\/p>\n<p>The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, founded in exile, said al-Hassan was one of the \"Assad regime's criminals\" and that his arrest marked an important step towards the investigation of crimes committed under al-Assad's rule. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8932830,8921592\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//19//how-melonis-al-assad-bet-in-syria-failed/">How Italian PM Giorgia Meloni's al-Assad bet in Syria failed<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//26//syria-says-14-interior-ministry-personnel-were-killed-in-ambush-by-remnants-of-al-assad-re/">Syria says 14 interior ministry personnel were killed in ambush by al-Assad supporters<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The move indicates that members of HTS are stepping up efforts to hold former members of the al-Assad regime accountable as they attempt to build a system of governance in the fractured country. <\/p>\n<p>International organisations have called for the urgent establishment of mechanisms of accountability in the country where a new judiciary has not yet been organised by rebel fighters. <\/p>\n<p>Instances of unrest in various parts of the country indicate that HTS may face challenges in trying to implement peaceful governance. Over the past week, members of al-Assad's minority Alawite community have staged protests in the west and in the central city of Homs over a video posted online allegedly showing an Alawite shrine set alight. <\/p>\n<p>Alongside deadly clashes during the hunt for al-Hassan, protests also broke out in the country's capital of Damascus over the burning of a Christmas tree \u2014 sparking fears of sectarian conflict. <\/p>\n<p>HTS has promised to create a pluralist system in the country home to multiple religious communities. Their group is, however, rooted in a fundamentalist Islamist ideology, leading to concern that minority communities, including Christians, Druse and Alawites, could face prosecution. <\/p>\n<p>HTS' leader Ahmad al-Shara, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has promised that minorities will be protected.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, the interim Ministry of Information said it was banning the publication of content with \u201ca sectarian character that seeks to spread division.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735281493,"updatedAt":1735312987,"publishedAt":1735285695,"firstPublishedAt":1735285695,"lastPublishedAt":1735286755,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/45\/52\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_29a259ae-c2a9-5875-912c-67a629016b09-8934552.jpg","altText":"Syrian fighters travel on vehicles, as they patrol at a highway, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.","caption":"Syrian fighters travel on vehicles, as they patrol at a highway, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Hussein Malla\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All right reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2940,"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","title":"Tamsin Paternoster","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":10547,"slug":"syrian-politics","urlSafeValue":"syrian-politics","title":"Syrian politics","titleRaw":"Syrian politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2710782},{"id":2713368},{"id":2714366}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80122011","80122022","80222003","80222006","80222011","80222022","84111001","84112005","84181001","84182006","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","death_and_injury_low_risk","death_and_injury_medium_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_christianity","society","society_general","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/27\/syria-arrests-top-official-who-sentenced-thousands-to-death-in-sednaya-report-claims","lastModified":1735286755},{"id":2712040,"cid":8932830,"versionId":6,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241226_NWSU_57366235","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA UNREST CURFEW","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria says 14 interior ministry personnel were killed in ambush by al-Assad supporters","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syrian interim interior ministry says 14 personnel killed in ambush","titleListing2":"Syria says 14 'interior ministry personnel' were killed in ambush by 'remnants of al-Assad' regime","leadin":"An overnight curfew was imposed by Syria\u2019s ruling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group after 14 members of the Syria\u2019s interior ministry were killed in what they described as an ambush by supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.","summary":"An overnight curfew was imposed by Syria\u2019s ruling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group after 14 members of the Syria\u2019s interior ministry were killed in what they described as an ambush by supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.","keySentence":"","url":"syria-says-14-interior-ministry-personnel-were-killed-in-ambush-by-remnants-of-al-assad-re","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/26\/syria-says-14-interior-ministry-personnel-were-killed-in-ambush-by-remnants-of-al-assad-re","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Syria\u2019s new Interior Minister Mohammed Abdel Rahman says 14 \"interior ministry personnel\" were killed by what he described as the \"remnants of the Assad regime\u201d.\n\nClashes took place in multiple cities, including the coastal city of Tartus, Homs, and even the capital Damascus. It represents the most violent and widespread unrest in the country since the removal of long-time autocratic President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.\n\nRahman vowed to crack down on \u201canyone who dares to undermine\u201d the country\u2019s security, endanger the lives of its citizens or halt the processes of peace and stabilising its future.\n\nOn Wednesday, demonstrations took place in the city of Homs, according to state media, and were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shia Muslim communities.\n\nThe Alawite protests were apparently in part sparked by an online video showing the burning of an Alawite shrine. The interim authorities insisted the video was old and not a recent incident.\n\nSome protesters called for the release of soldiers from the former Syrian army now imprisoned by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one protestor was killed and five were wounded in Homs as HTS forces looked to quell the unrest.\n\nIn response to the protests, the HTS also imposed a curfew from 6 pm to 8 am local time (8 pm to 10 am CET).\n\nState media reports say the curfew is only being imposed for one night but could be renewed if the violence doesn\u2019t cease.\n\nMore small demonstrations also took place in other areas, like the city of Tartus, where the majority of Syria\u2019s Alawite minority live, but were not as violent.\n\nThousand mourn death of SDF fighters \n\nIn Syria's northeastern city of Qamishli, Thousands mourned the death of six fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed in Manbij in clashes against Turkish-backed fighters. \n\nThe SDF announced Tuesday the launch of a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed fighter's to reclaim areas near Syria\u2019s northern border.\n\nThe Kurdish-led SDF is Washington\u2019s critical ally in Syria, targeting sleeper cells of the extremist Islamic State group scattered across the country's east.\n\nSince the fall of the totalitarian rule of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified between the US-backed group and the Syrian National Army, which captured the key city of Manbij and the areas surrounding it. \n\n","htmlText":"<p>Syria\u2019s new Interior Minister Mohammed Abdel Rahman says 14 \"interior ministry personnel\" were killed by what he described as the \"remnants of the Assad regime\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Clashes took place in multiple cities, including the coastal city of Tartus, Homs, and even the capital Damascus. It represents the most violent and widespread unrest in the country since the removal of long-time autocratic President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.<\/p>\n<p>Rahman vowed to crack down on \u201canyone who dares to undermine\u201d the country\u2019s security, endanger the lives of its citizens or halt the processes of peace and stabilising its future.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, demonstrations took place in the city of Homs, according to state media, and were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shia Muslim communities.<\/p>\n<p>The Alawite protests were apparently in part sparked by an online video showing the burning of an Alawite shrine. The interim authorities insisted the video was old and not a recent incident.<\/p>\n<p>Some protesters called for the release of soldiers from the former Syrian army now imprisoned by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one protestor was killed and five were wounded in Homs as HTS forces looked to quell the unrest.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the protests, the HTS also imposed a curfew from 6 pm to 8 am local time (8 pm to 10 am CET).<\/p>\n<p>State media reports say the curfew is only being imposed for one night but could be renewed if the violence doesn\u2019t cease.<\/p>\n<p>More small demonstrations also took place in other areas, like the city of Tartus, where the majority of Syria\u2019s Alawite minority live, but were not as violent.<\/p>\n<h2>Thousand mourn death of SDF fighters<\/h2><p>In Syria's northeastern city of Qamishli, Thousands mourned the death of six fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed in Manbij in clashes against Turkish-backed fighters. <\/p>\n<p>The SDF announced Tuesday the launch of a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed fighter's to reclaim areas near Syria\u2019s northern border.<\/p>\n<p>The Kurdish-led SDF is Washington\u2019s critical ally in Syria, targeting sleeper cells of the extremist Islamic State group scattered across the country's east.<\/p>\n<p>Since the fall of the totalitarian rule of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified between the US-backed group and the Syrian National Army, which captured the key city of Manbij and the areas surrounding it. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735186604,"updatedAt":1735244106,"publishedAt":1735189317,"firstPublishedAt":1735189317,"lastPublishedAt":1735243887,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/28\/30\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a162e8a0-aa77-5db3-8e73-da868581dd58-8932830.jpg","altText":"A banner of ousted Bashar al-Assad is placed on a fire as rebel forces destroys drugs and alcohol, found at a complex building, in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024","caption":"A banner of ousted Bashar al-Assad is placed on a fire as rebel forces destroys drugs and alcohol, found at a complex building, in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":819,"height":460}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3270,"urlSafeValue":"fouda","title":"Malek Fouda","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":30244,"slug":"tahrir-al-sham","urlSafeValue":"tahrir-al-sham","title":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham","titleRaw":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham"},{"id":1802,"slug":"damascus","urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus","titleRaw":"Damascus"},{"id":30276,"slug":"alawites","urlSafeValue":"alawites","title":"Alawites","titleRaw":"Alawites"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2709500},{"id":2710742},{"id":2714366}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"FEiKPvCU_Y0","dailymotionId":"x9bdo8a"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/26\/en\/241226_NWSU_57366235_57370987_70000_182152_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":70000,"filesizeBytes":9272540,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/26\/en\/241226_NWSU_57366235_57370987_70000_182152_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":70000,"filesizeBytes":13965532,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122022","80222003","80222022","84011001","84012001","84091001","84092030","84111001","84112001","84181001","84182008","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","arts_and_entertainment","arts_and_entertainment_general","death_and_injury_low_risk","death_and_injury_medium_risk","hobbies_and_interests","hobbies_and_interests_social_networking","law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_islam","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/26\/syria-says-14-interior-ministry-personnel-were-killed-in-ambush-by-remnants-of-al-assad-re","lastModified":1735243887},{"id":2711016,"cid":8930860,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241224_NWSU_57357689","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"KURDISH OFFENSIVE SYRIA","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Kurdish forces fight back against Turkish-backed rebels amid clashes in northern Syria","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Kurdish forces fight Turkish-backed rebels in northern Syria","titleListing2":"Kurdish forces fight back against Turkish-backed rebels amid clashes in northern Syria","leadin":"The SDF launched a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed SNA to reclaim areas near Syria's northern border. Clashes have intensified since Bashar al-Assad's fall.","summary":"The SDF launched a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed SNA to reclaim areas near Syria's northern border. Clashes have intensified since Bashar al-Assad's fall.","keySentence":"","url":"kurdish-forces-fight-back-against-turkish-backed-rebels-amid-clashes-in-northern-syria","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/24\/kurdish-forces-fight-back-against-turkish-backed-rebels-amid-clashes-in-northern-syria","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a counteroffensive Tuesday against the Ankara-backed Syrian National Army to take back areas near Syria's northern border with Turkey.\n\nSince the fall of the totalitarian rule of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified between the US-backed SDF and the SNA, which captured the key city of Manbij and the surrounding areas.\n\nThe weeks-long clashes come at a time when Syria, battered by over a decade of war and economic misery, is negotiating its political future following more than half a century under the al-Assad dynasty's rule.\n\nRuken Jamal, spokesperson of the Women's Protection Unit, or YPJ, under the SDF, told AP that their fighters are just over seven miles away from the centre of Manbij in their ongoing counterattack.\n\nJamal accused Turkey of trying to weaken the group's influence in negotiations over Syria's political future through the SNA.\n\n\"Syria is now in a new phase, and discussions are underway about the future of the country,\" Jamal said. \"Turkey is trying, through its attacks, to distract us with battles and exclude us from the negotiations in Damascus.\"\n\nThe UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said since the SNA's offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds started earlier this month, dozens from both sides have been killed.\n\nAnkara sees the SDF as an affiliate of its sworn enemy, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organisation. Turkish-backed armed groups, alongside Turkish jets for years, have attacked positions where the SDF are largely present across northern Syria in a bid to create a buffer zone free from the group along the large shared border.\n\nWhile the SNA was involved in the lightning insurgency \u2014 led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS \u2014 that toppled al-Assad, it has continued its push against the SDF, seen as Syria's second key actor for its political future.\n\nMeanwhile, the SDF has enjoyed the backing of Washington, which considers the Kurdish forces to be its main ally against any remaining pockets of the so-called Islamic State group and its satellites.\n\nAnkara not to budge?\n\nOn Monday, the SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami said the group's forces pushed back the Turkish-backed rebels from areas near the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates, a key source of hydroelectric power. He said the SDF also destroyed a tank belonging to the rebels southeast of Manbij.\n\nThe British-based war monitor said on Tuesday that the Kurdish-led group, following overnight fighting, has reclaimed four villages in the areas near the strategic dam.\n\nTurkish jets also pounded the strategic border town of Kobani in recent days.\n\nDuring Syria's uprising-turned-conflict, the Kurds carved out an enclave of autonomous rule across northeastern Syria, never allying entirely with al-Assad in Damascus nor the rebels trying to overthrow him.\n\nEven with the al-Assad family out of the picture, it appears that Ankara's position won't change, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's landmark visit to Syria maintaining a strong position on the Kurdish-led group in his meeting with de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani of HTS.\n\n\"It has turned the region into a cauldron of terror with PKK members and far-left groups who have come from Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Europe,\" Fidan said in a news conference after the meeting. \"The international community is turning a blind eye to this lawlessness because of the wardenship it provides (against the so-called IS).\"\n\nWith the ongoing fighting, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi has expressed concern about a strong IS resurgence due to the power vacuum in Syria and the ongoing fighting, which has left the Kurdish-led group unable to carry out its attacks and raids on the extremist group's scattered sleeper cells.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a counteroffensive Tuesday against the Ankara-backed Syrian National Army to take back areas near Syria's northern border with Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Since the fall of the totalitarian rule of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified between the US-backed SDF and the SNA, which captured the key city of Manbij and the surrounding areas.<\/p>\n<p>The weeks-long clashes come at a time when Syria, battered by over a decade of war and economic misery, is negotiating its political future following more than half a century under the al-Assad dynasty's rule.<\/p>\n<p>Ruken Jamal, spokesperson of the Women's Protection Unit, or YPJ, under the SDF, told AP that their fighters are just over seven miles away from the centre of Manbij in their ongoing counterattack.<\/p>\n<p>Jamal accused Turkey of trying to weaken the group's influence in negotiations over Syria's political future through the SNA.<\/p>\n<p>\"Syria is now in a new phase, and discussions are underway about the future of the country,\" Jamal said. \"Turkey is trying, through its attacks, to distract us with battles and exclude us from the negotiations in Damascus.\"<\/p>\n<p>The UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said since the SNA's offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds started earlier this month, dozens from both sides have been killed.<\/p>\n<p>Ankara sees the SDF as an affiliate of its sworn enemy, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organisation. Turkish-backed armed groups, alongside Turkish jets for years, have attacked positions where the SDF are largely present across northern Syria in a bid to create a buffer zone free from the group along the large shared border.<\/p>\n<p>While the SNA was involved in the lightning insurgency \u2014 led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS \u2014 that toppled al-Assad, it has continued its push against the SDF, seen as Syria's second key actor for its political future.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the SDF has enjoyed the backing of Washington, which considers the Kurdish forces to be its main ally against any remaining pockets of the so-called Islamic State group and its satellites.<\/p>\n<h2>Ankara not to budge?<\/h2><p>On Monday, the SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami said the group's forces pushed back the Turkish-backed rebels from areas near the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates, a key source of hydroelectric power. He said the SDF also destroyed a tank belonging to the rebels southeast of Manbij.<\/p>\n<p>The British-based war monitor said on Tuesday that the Kurdish-led group, following overnight fighting, has reclaimed four villages in the areas near the strategic dam.<\/p>\n<p>Turkish jets also pounded the strategic border town of Kobani in recent days.<\/p>\n<p>During Syria's uprising-turned-conflict, the Kurds carved out an enclave of autonomous rule across northeastern Syria, never allying entirely with al-Assad in Damascus nor the rebels trying to overthrow him.<\/p>\n<p>Even with the al-Assad family out of the picture, it appears that Ankara's position won't change, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's landmark visit to Syria maintaining a strong position on the Kurdish-led group in his meeting with de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani of HTS.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8921410,8930254\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//19//as-thousands-celebrate-al-assads-fall-syrian-alawites-remain-cautious/">As thousands celebrate al-Assad's fall, Syrian Alawites remain cautious<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//24//russian-cargo-ship-linked-to-syria-arms-deliveries-sinks-in-the-mediterranean/">Russian cargo ship linked to Syria arms deliveries sinks in the Mediterranean<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\"It has turned the region into a cauldron of terror with PKK members and far-left groups who have come from Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Europe,\" Fidan said in a news conference after the meeting. \"The international community is turning a blind eye to this lawlessness because of the wardenship it provides (against the so-called IS).\"<\/p>\n<p>With the ongoing fighting, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi has expressed concern about a strong IS resurgence due to the power vacuum in Syria and the ongoing fighting, which has left the Kurdish-led group unable to carry out its attacks and raids on the extremist group's scattered sleeper cells.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1735051655,"updatedAt":1735173285,"publishedAt":1735052466,"firstPublishedAt":1735052466,"lastPublishedAt":1735173284,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/93\/08\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_8d914a5c-2183-5ddb-992f-0075ff0fb289-8930860.jpg","altText":"FILE: Kurdish-led fighters backed by the US prepare for battle against Islamic state group militants, in Raqqa, 22 June 2017","caption":"FILE: Kurdish-led fighters backed by the US prepare for battle against Islamic state group militants, in Raqqa, 22 June 2017","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Hussein Malla","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"height":900}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"},{"id":14028,"slug":"kurds-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"kurds-in-syria","title":"Kurds in Syria","titleRaw":"Kurds in Syria"},{"id":7984,"slug":"kurds","urlSafeValue":"kurds","title":"Kurds","titleRaw":"Kurds"},{"id":30252,"slug":"abu-mohammed-al-jolani","urlSafeValue":"abu-mohammed-al-jolani","title":"Abu Mohammed al-Jolani","titleRaw":"Abu Mohammed al-Jolani"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2711826}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122011","80222011","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212004"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_ethnic_specific","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/24\/kurdish-forces-fight-back-against-turkish-backed-rebels-amid-clashes-in-northern-syria","lastModified":1735173284},{"id":2710172,"cid":8928792,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241223_E3WB_57348994","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"DE web Yermak Ukraine \/ Syria Op-Ed","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Al-Assad's fall: A blow to Russia's influence and the shifting dynamics in Syria","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Al-Assad's fall: A blow to Russia's influence in the region?","titleListing2":"Ukraine's resistance, bolstered by US support, weakens Russia's military, contributing to the fall of the al-Assad regime.","leadin":"Ukraine's resistance, bolstered by US support, weakens Russia's military, contributing to the fall of the al-Assad regime, Zelenskyy's advisor argues.","summary":"Ukraine's resistance, bolstered by US support, weakens Russia's military, contributing to the fall of the al-Assad regime, Zelenskyy's advisor argues.","keySentence":"","url":"al-assads-fall-a-blow-to-russias-influence-and-the-shifting-dynamics-in-syria","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/24\/al-assads-fall-a-blow-to-russias-influence-and-the-shifting-dynamics-in-syria","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Just weeks ago, Syrian rebels succeeded in overthrowing Bashar al-Assad's regime, putting an end to a 13-year-long war. \n\nThe long-standing ruler of Syria fled to Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin granted him asylum, marking a clear sign of Russia's diminishing influence in the region. The offensive was, among others, initiated by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). \n\nIts leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani who was once the head of an al-Qaeda offshoot in Syria, now presents himself as a statesman advocating for pluralism and tolerance, engaging in talks with potential international partners, most recently Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. \n\nHowever, his transformation and shift in image have sparked scepticism both domestically and abroad, given his past.\n\nRecently, for the first time in over a decade, a US delegation visited Syria to meet with al-Sharaa. Led by Barbara Leaf, Roger Carstens, and Daniel Rubinstein, the discussions were deemed productive. Still, Washington has tied any potential recognition of his government to tangible progress on minority protection, counterterrorism efforts, and inclusive governance.\n\nRussia\u2019s withdrawal from Syria played a crucial role in the collapse of the al-Assad regime. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, wrote in a\u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0opinion article about how Ukrainian resistance against Russia, supported by US aid, weakened Moscow and ultimately contributed to the end of al-Assad\u2019s rule.\n\nYermak argued that supporting Ukraine not only strengthens Europe\u2019s security but also advances the US' global interests.\n\nHow did Russia's war on Ukraine affect its presence in Syria?\n\nRussia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third winter, has severely weakened the Kremlin's military and diplomatic capabilities. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence regularly reports on the daily losses suffered by Russian forces. \n\nTo date, approximately 776,090 Russian soldiers have been killed, and their tank fleet has been reduced by six more vehicles, bringing the total number of destroyed or captured tanks to 9,615. The number of armoured personnel carriers increased by 15, now totalling 19,885, and Russian artillery systems have lost 29 units, leaving just 21,252.\n\nSuch losses, according to Yermak, have left Russia unable to properly supply its military bases in Syria \u2014 a shipyard in Tartus and an airbase in Khmeimim \u2014 and unable to support al-Assad militarily. From these bases, according to Yermak, \"Russia and Iran exported their malign anti-Americanism.\"\n\nThe fall of al-Assad, Yermak stated, is a severe blow to Russia's credibility. Allies like Iran and authoritarian leaders worldwide must realise that Putin is unable to protect his partners. Moreover, Russia's influence in the region, particularly in Africa, where it has long benefitted from its presence in Syria, is dwindling.\n\nThe weakened support for al-Assad and Hezbollah undermines Russia's ability to challenge NATO or exert influence in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Ukrainian president's head of office. Furthermore, the collapse of the al-Assad regime sends a signal to other authoritarian allies of Moscow: Putin's backing may prove to be worthless. \n\nFor Yermak, the war in Ukraine is not only a fight for national sovereignty, but also a strategic tool to strengthen America's global interests. \n\n\"Russia is trying to undermine Ukrainians' will to keep fighting \u2014 but their resolve to preserve freedom and sovereignty remains ironclad\", wrote Yermak. The West must seize this moment to further weaken Russia and curb authoritarian aggression worldwide, he argued.\n\nUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also posted a statement on X, in which he states that Ukraine is interested in stabilising the situation in Syria and the entire region. \"We believe that it is crucial for the security of the Syrian people and the entire region to remove any Russian presence from Syria,\" Zelenskyy said. \n\n\"We are ready to work with the representatives of the Syrian people to correct the mistakes of the al-Assad regime, especially towards Ukraine and Europe as a whole.\"\n\n\"Ukrainians crave a peace that is just and sustainable, one that protects Ukraine, the US, Europe and our collective interests around the world,\" concluded Yermak in his opinion article. \n\n\"We must coalesce around new security, economic and legal measures that protect our shared interests. Only this kind of framework will prevent Mr Putin from again threatening and invading Ukraine \u2014 and deter authoritarians worldwide from attacking other US allies and partners.\"\n\nConsequences of Russia's intervention\n\nRussia's intervention in the Syrian civil war in 2015 had far-reaching consequences for Moscow. Essentially, Putin aimed to challenge the US-led international system and secure the survival of an authoritarian regime like al-Assad's, Anna Borshchevskaya for the Washington Institute said.\n\nAccording to Borshchevskaya, the intervention served a dual purpose for Russia: preventing the US from toppling another authoritarian regime and defending Russian sovereignty while strengthening its geopolitical position. \n\nAdditionally, she claimed that with its intervention in Syria, Moscow had won some respect from the US, its partners and adversaries. \n\n\"Western leaders talked a lot \u2014 about values, freedom, dignity, the al-Assad regime\u2019s loss of legitimacy and the need for regime change,\" Borshchevskaya explained in her article. \n\n\"But when push came to shove, they preferred to limit involvement. Putin said little, but did what he said he would do \u2014 he saved al-Assad.\" \n\nThrough its military support for al-Assad, Russia was also able to secure control of the western and central Syrian airspace and establish a permanent military presence in the Mediterranean\u2014its only such presence in the region. \n\nHuman Rights Watch reported in 2020 that Russia, during its prolonged intervention, repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure in Syria, including hospitals, schools, markets, and residential areas. \n\n\"International humanitarian law, or the laws of war, requires all warring parties to direct attacks on military objectives, avoid harming civilians or civilian objects, and not carry out attacks that cause indiscriminate or disproportionate civilian harm\", the report reads.\n\nIn May 2019, for example, Russian airstrikes hit four hospitals in Idlib within a 12-hour period, according to a\u00a0New York Times\u00a0investigation.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Just weeks ago, Syrian rebels succeeded in overthrowing Bashar al-Assad's regime, putting an end to a 13-year-long war. <\/p>\n<p>The long-standing ruler of Syria fled to Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin granted him asylum, marking a clear sign of Russia's diminishing influence in the region. The offensive was, among others, initiated by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). <\/p>\n<p>Its leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani who was once the head of an al-Qaeda offshoot in Syria, now presents himself as a statesman advocating for pluralism and tolerance, engaging in talks with potential international partners, most recently Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. <\/p>\n<p>However, his transformation and shift in image have sparked scepticism both domestically and abroad, given his past.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//77//08//808x539_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg/" alt=\"Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, during their meeting in Damascus, Syria.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/384x256_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/640x427_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/750x500_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/828x552_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/1080x720_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/1200x800_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/77\/08\/1920x1281_cmsv2_c073ef7f-51c0-5b04-ba58-b227a926e461-8927708.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, during their meeting in Damascus, Syria.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP\/AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Recently, for the first time in over a decade, a US delegation visited Syria to meet with al-Sharaa. Led by Barbara Leaf, Roger Carstens, and Daniel Rubinstein, the discussions were deemed productive. Still, Washington has tied any potential recognition of his government to tangible progress on minority protection, counterterrorism efforts, and inclusive governance.<\/p>\n<p>Russia\u2019s withdrawal from Syria played a crucial role in the collapse of the al-Assad regime. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, wrote in a\u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0opinion article about how Ukrainian resistance against Russia, supported by US aid, weakened Moscow and ultimately contributed to the end of al-Assad\u2019s rule.<\/p>\n<p>Yermak argued that supporting Ukraine not only strengthens Europe\u2019s security but also advances the US' global interests.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//26//55//96//808x539_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg/" alt=\"Head of Ukrainian Presidential Office Andriy Yermak attends the forum Ukraine 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/384x256_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/640x427_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/750x500_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/828x552_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/1080x720_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/1200x800_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/26\/55\/96\/1920x1281_cmsv2_7e35abbf-4c56-5d93-982f-a51a5a263a91-8265596.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Head of Ukrainian Presidential Office Andriy Yermak attends the forum Ukraine 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Evgeniy Maloletka\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2>How did Russia's war on Ukraine affect its presence in Syria?<\/h2><p>Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third winter, has severely weakened the Kremlin's military and diplomatic capabilities. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence regularly reports on the daily losses suffered by Russian forces. <\/p>\n<p>To date, approximately 776,090 Russian soldiers have been killed, and their tank fleet has been reduced by six more vehicles, bringing the total number of destroyed or captured tanks to 9,615. The number of armoured personnel carriers increased by 15, now totalling 19,885, and Russian artillery systems have lost 29 units, leaving just 21,252.<\/p>\n<p>Such losses, according to Yermak, have left Russia unable to properly supply its <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//16//theres-no-reason-for-russian-troop-presence-in-syria-syrias-new-transitional-government/">military bases<\/strong><\/a> in Syria \u2014 a shipyard in Tartus and an airbase in Khmeimim \u2014 and unable to support al-Assad militarily. From these bases, according to Yermak, \"Russia and Iran exported their malign anti-Americanism.\"<\/p>\n<p>The fall of al-Assad, Yermak stated, is a severe blow to Russia's credibility. Allies like Iran and authoritarian leaders worldwide must realise that Putin is unable to protect his partners. Moreover, Russia's influence in the region, particularly in Africa, where it has long benefitted from its presence in Syria, is dwindling.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//87//96//808x539_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg/" alt=\"A Russian armoured vehicle drives past Syrian fighters guarding Lakatia airport in the town of Khmeimim, southeast of the city of Latakia, Syria, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/384x256_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/640x427_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/750x500_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/828x552_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1080x720_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1200x800_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1920x1281_cmsv2_a2ddf71b-d44d-5dd1-a643-4a476962b071-8928796.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A Russian armoured vehicle drives past Syrian fighters guarding Lakatia airport in the town of Khmeimim, southeast of the city of Latakia, Syria, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The weakened support for al-Assad and Hezbollah undermines Russia's ability to challenge NATO or exert influence in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Ukrainian president's head of office. Furthermore, the collapse of the al-Assad regime sends a signal to other authoritarian allies of Moscow: Putin's backing may prove to be worthless. <\/p>\n<p>For Yermak, the war in Ukraine is not only a fight for national sovereignty, but also a strategic tool to strengthen America's global interests. <\/p>\n<p>\"Russia is trying to undermine Ukrainians' will to keep fighting \u2014 but their resolve to preserve freedom and sovereignty remains ironclad\", wrote Yermak. The West must seize this moment to further weaken Russia and curb authoritarian aggression worldwide, he argued.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8926380,8914520\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//16//bashar-al-assad-says-he-didnt-plan-to-flee-syria-before-evacuation-to-russia/">Bashar al-Assad says he didn't plan to flee Syria before evacuation to Russia<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//23//qa-syrias-territorial-integrity-is-turkiyes-priority-fahrettin-altun-says/">Q&A: Syria's territorial integrity is T\u00fcrkiye's priority, Fahrettin Altun says<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also posted a statement on X, in which he states that Ukraine is interested in stabilising the situation in Syria and the entire region. \"We believe that it is crucial for the security of the Syrian people and the entire region to remove any Russian presence from Syria,\" Zelenskyy said. <\/p>\n<p>\"We are ready to work with the representatives of the Syrian people to correct the mistakes of the al-Assad regime, especially towards Ukraine and Europe as a whole.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"Ukrainians crave a peace that is just and sustainable, one that protects Ukraine, the US, Europe and our collective interests around the world,\" concluded Yermak in his opinion article. <\/p>\n<p>\"We must coalesce around new security, economic and legal measures that protect our shared interests. Only this kind of framework will prevent Mr Putin from again threatening and invading Ukraine \u2014 and deter authoritarians worldwide from attacking other US allies and partners.\"<\/p>\n<h2>Consequences of Russia's intervention<\/h2><p>Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war in 2015 had far-reaching consequences for Moscow. Essentially, Putin aimed to challenge the US-led international system and secure the survival of an authoritarian regime like al-Assad's, Anna Borshchevskaya for the Washington Institute said.<\/p>\n<p>According to Borshchevskaya, the intervention served a dual purpose for Russia: preventing the US from toppling another authoritarian regime and defending Russian sovereignty while strengthening its geopolitical position. <\/p>\n<p>Additionally, she claimed that with its intervention in Syria, Moscow had won some respect from the US, its partners and adversaries. <\/p>\n<p>\"Western leaders talked a lot \u2014 about values, freedom, dignity, the al-Assad regime\u2019s loss of legitimacy and the need for regime change,\" Borshchevskaya explained in her article. <\/p>\n<p>\"But when push came to shove, they preferred to limit involvement. Putin said little, but did what he said he would do \u2014 he saved al-Assad.\" <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//87//96//808x539_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg/" alt=\"Syrians walk by posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/384x256_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/640x427_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/750x500_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/828x552_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1080x720_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1200x800_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/87\/96\/1920x1281_cmsv2_90436398-ffe5-541a-bfa7-7bc0079a6407-8928796.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Syrians walk by posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Hassan Ammar\/Copyright 2018 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Through its military support for al-Assad, Russia was also able to secure control of the western and central Syrian airspace and establish a permanent military presence in the Mediterranean\u2014its only such presence in the region. <\/p>\n<p>Human Rights Watch reported in 2020 that Russia, during its prolonged intervention, repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure in Syria, including hospitals, schools, markets, and residential areas. <\/p>\n<p>\"International humanitarian law, or the laws of war, requires all warring parties to direct attacks on military objectives, avoid harming civilians or civilian objects, and not carry out attacks that cause indiscriminate or disproportionate civilian harm\", the report reads.<\/p>\n<p>In May 2019, for example, Russian airstrikes hit four hospitals in Idlib within a 12-hour period, according to a\u00a0New York Times\u00a0investigation.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734960908,"updatedAt":1735049187,"publishedAt":1735049183,"firstPublishedAt":1735049183,"lastPublishedAt":1735049183,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/90\/04\/82\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_50d35eaa-528f-562e-a7a4-f34b5fcc48a6-8900482.jpg","altText":"Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Syrian President Bashar Assad watch troops marching at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, on Dec. 11, 2017. ","caption":"Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Syrian President Bashar Assad watch troops marching at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, on Dec. 11, 2017. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Mikhail Klimentyev\/AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":727}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2922,"urlSafeValue":"urbancik","title":"Johanna Urbancik","twitter":"johannaurbancik"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":26698,"slug":"russia-ukraine-invasion","urlSafeValue":"russia-ukraine-invasion","title":"Russia's invasion of Ukraine","titleRaw":"Russia's invasion of Ukraine"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"},{"id":26330,"slug":"ukraine-russia-border-crisis","urlSafeValue":"ukraine-russia-border-crisis","title":"Russia's invasion of Ukraine ","titleRaw":"Russia's invasion of Ukraine "},{"id":11644,"slug":"conflict-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"conflict-in-syria","title":"Conflict in Syria","titleRaw":"Conflict in Syria"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":4},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2711826},{"id":2713368},{"id":2717280}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122009","80222009","84111001","84112005","84121001","84122001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","news","news_general","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet-web","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2024\/12\/24\/al-assads-fall-a-blow-to-russias-influence-and-the-shifting-dynamics-in-syria","lastModified":1735049183},{"id":2710188,"cid":8928860,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241223_NWSU_57349211","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"WEB ALEPPO RUINS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"In war-torn Aleppo, a glimmer of hope appears among the ruins ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"In war-torn Aleppo, a glimmer of hope appears among the ruins ","titleListing2":"In war-torn Aleppo, a glimmer of hope appears among the ruins ","leadin":"Amid the devastation of Aleppo's past and present, Syrians reflect on the harrowing legacy of war, the loss of lives, and the hope for a better future.","summary":"Amid the devastation of Aleppo's past and present, Syrians reflect on the harrowing legacy of war, the loss of lives, and the hope for a better future.","keySentence":"","url":"in-war-torn-aleppo-a-glimmer-of-hope-appears-among-the-ruins","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/24\/in-war-torn-aleppo-a-glimmer-of-hope-appears-among-the-ruins","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Standing on a road surrounded by wrecked buildings on a cold, sunny day, Ahmed is pensive, stirred by the harrowing memories from this point eight years ago.\u00a0\n\n\u201cEight years ago, I was besieged in the city of Aleppo,\u201d he explains. \u201cEvacuations had stalled many times after a fragile ceasefire \u2026 The buses were late for four days.\u201d\n\nThey were stuck there without access to food or water, evading the incoming attacks struck by Bashar al-Assad\u2019s campaign, which was backed by Russia and Iran.\n\nIn the 13 years of the bloody civil war in Syria, tens of thousands of people disappeared, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and millions of Syrians became refugees across the world.\u00a0\n\nMeanwhile, various armed groups backed as proxy forces against the Russia-Iran influence gained authority across the country\u2019s north.\n\nRebels held the east and south of Aleppo city in 2016 when al-Assad\u2019s forces made a critical gain here through a military offensive backed by a Russian naval fleet to capture the entire city centre of Syria\u2019s most populous governorate and an important commercial and cultural hub.\n\n\u201cBy the time pro-government forces recaptured Aleppo city a month later, all hospitals had been bombed out of service by Syrian and\/or Russian air forces,\u201d the United Nations Human Rights Council said in a statement.\u00a0\n\n\u201cRepeated bombardments of hospitals, schools, and markets without any warnings strongly suggest that the encirclement of the city and targeting of civilian infrastructure were part of a meticulous strategy to compel surrender,\u201d Paulo S\u00e9rgio Pinheiro, head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, said.\n\nMeanwhile, the rebels were also striking the western part, also causing civilian deaths. \u201cThe siege of eastern Aleppo city was characterised by some of the most serious violations of international law the Commission has documented, which were committed by all warring parties,\u201d Pinheiro said in March 2017.\n\nThe most destructive period of the war in Aleppo lasted from 2012, a year after the protests turned into a war, until al-Assad\u2019s forces captured it in 2016 and ruled it until the fall of Damascus, the capital, recently.\n\nOn 30 November, a lightning military operation led by the Idlib-based militant group Hayal Tahrir Al-Sham and joined by the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army arrived in Aleppo. On 8 December, the groups arrived in Damascus, where Al-Assad was residing and fled to Russia on that day.\u00a0\n\nMonumental changes for a country that has been under the dynasty of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez al-Assad, since the 1970s and that has endured one of the deadliest conflicts in recent history with the world watching. \n\nWalking through the rubbled streets, Ahmed is full of emotions years later. Remembering his friends who were killed here, he says: \u201cThis is the legacy they have left.\u201d\n\nThere are still old projectiles by the sidewalk, people living in and around heavily damaged buildings, and piles of rubble on the main roads and the back streets.\n\nIt\u2019s a school day, but dozens of children, many of them without winter gear, are waiting impatiently in line for food distribution at the exact same point that used to be the frontline between the al-Assad forces and the rebels until the evacuation.\n\nAhmed, 33, who has been living in Azaz in the northern part of Aleppo province since forcibly leaving his home, says it\u2019s the first time he\u2019s come back here and seen the level of destruction.\n\nIt\u2019s a turning point, and he says he wishes for it to lead to \u201ca Syria for Syrian people\u201d.\n\n27-year-old Omar, who watches the new period unfold from his living room, which no longer has an outer wall, says the war has impacted his psychology deeply, but looking ahead, he is hopeful.\u00a0\n\nOmar lived in Lebanon for five years after the war broke out, and he returned with his family because the conditions were very harsh for a refugee working as a stone smith. However, despite the challenges, \u201cthere\u2019s no place like my homeland,\u201d he says, \n\nWhile the civil war is giving way to a post-Al-Assad period, the fight between the FSA and the Kurdish militia holding positions east of the Euphrates River continues at various points.\n\nThe Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates has been damaged, and two water stations were suspended, the United Nations has announced, in the fights between the US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces and the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (FSA) forces in the past weeks.\n\nFor Aleppo\u2019s over two million residents, it means they are left without water. And if the dam is further damaged, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns some 40 villages could be flooded.\n\n\u201cElectricity is only available for a few hours in the night,\u201d Sima, a 19-year-old computer engineering student from Aleppo, says. \u201cWe are suffering because we don\u2019t have water, electricity or proper internet.\u201d\u00a0\n\nWhen she was seven, she stopped going to school for three years because of the war. Now, she\u2019s back in school but is pessimistic about possibility to find a job once she graduates.\n\n\u201cI can speak English and I study engineering, but I won\u2019t be able to find a job,\u201d she says. To be able to enjoy the victory over the former government, she adds that daily life needs have to be met.\n\nIn Aleppo, schools have reopened, and Christians, who point to happiness over the ending of a conflict but remain cautious over HTS, have attended regular Sunday services.\u00a0\n\nHaroutioun Simonian, at the Catholic Latin Church in Aleppo, is coordinating the food distribution inside a yard for residents in need, and underlines they are \u201cstill living in a survival mode.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a big change for us,\u201d he says. \u201cThey guaranteed us our freedoms - freedom of faith, of expression, but we don\u2019t know until when or how. There is no law yet. There is no proper government\u2026 We will see.\u201d\n\nAs a man dances atop a camel, surrounded by a joyful crowd, right nearby, on the entrance of the medieval Aleppo Citadel, the new Syrian flag with three red stars and a green stripe is hung.\u00a0\n\nWith drums rolling and nationalist slogans chanted, a celebration is in the making.\n\nBut for residents of Aleppo and Syria alike, there are significant challenges ahead.\n\nSome 90% of Syrians are living under the poverty line, according to various international organisations, including the UN.\n\nMeanwhile, more than six million people have been internally displaced, and just as many have become refugees across the world through the war.\n\nTies with the Kurdish militia holding the northeast of the country and some neighbourhoods in Aleppo, whether HTS, a group widely acknowledged as a terror organization with past ties to al-Qaeda and its Syrian offshoot Jabhat Al-Nusra, will form an inclusive government and a civil constitution respectful of individual freedoms, Israel\u2019s land expansion, and rebuilding Syria\u2019s poor, damaged infrastructure, education system and human rights records among other big topics.\n\n\u201cWe have a lot to do,\u201d Ahmed acknowledges. \u201cWe need everyone to rebuild Syria.\u201d\n\nHTS did not respond to Euronews' requests for comment.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Standing on a road surrounded by wrecked buildings on a cold, sunny day, Ahmed is pensive, stirred by the harrowing memories from this point eight years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEight years ago, I was besieged in the city of Aleppo,\u201d he explains. \u201cEvacuations had stalled many times after a fragile ceasefire \u2026 The buses were late for four days.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They were stuck there without access to food or water, evading the incoming attacks struck by Bashar al-Assad\u2019s campaign, which was backed by Russia and Iran.<\/p>\n<p>In the 13 years of the bloody civil war in Syria, tens of thousands of people disappeared, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and millions of Syrians became refugees across the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, various armed groups backed as proxy forces against the Russia-Iran influence gained authority across the country\u2019s north.<\/p>\n<p>Rebels held the east and south of Aleppo city in 2016 when al-Assad\u2019s forces made a critical gain here through a military offensive backed by a Russian naval fleet to capture the entire city centre of Syria\u2019s most populous governorate and an important commercial and cultural hub.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//88//60//808x539_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg/" alt=\"A mother and her children stand on a street in Aleppo, Syria, against the backdrop of war-torn buildings\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/384x256_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/640x427_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/750x500_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/828x552_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1080x720_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1200x800_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1920x1280_cmsv2_ab1efe9d-17cd-567c-9c2f-796299fb4f09-8928860.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1330px) 70vw, 900px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A mother and her children stand on a street in Aleppo, Syria, against the backdrop of war-torn buildings<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Can Erok for euronews<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy the time pro-government forces recaptured Aleppo city a month later, all hospitals had been bombed out of service by Syrian and\/or Russian air forces,\u201d the United Nations Human Rights Council said in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRepeated bombardments of hospitals, schools, and markets without any warnings strongly suggest that the encirclement of the city and targeting of civilian infrastructure were part of a meticulous strategy to compel surrender,\u201d Paulo S\u00e9rgio Pinheiro, head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8921410\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//19//as-thousands-celebrate-al-assads-fall-syrian-alawites-remain-cautious/">As thousands celebrate al-Assad's fall, Syrian Alawites remain cautious<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the rebels were also striking the western part, also causing civilian deaths. \u201cThe siege of eastern Aleppo city was characterised by some of the most serious violations of international law the Commission has documented, which were committed by all warring parties,\u201d Pinheiro said in March 2017.<\/p>\n<p>The most destructive period of the war in Aleppo lasted from 2012, a year after the protests turned into a war, until al-Assad\u2019s forces captured it in 2016 and ruled it until the fall of Damascus, the capital, recently.<\/p>\n<p>On 30 November, a lightning military operation led by the Idlib-based militant group Hayal Tahrir Al-Sham and joined by the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army arrived in Aleppo. On 8 December, the groups arrived in Damascus, where Al-Assad was residing and fled to Russia on that day.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//88//60//808x608_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg/" alt=\"An aerial view of the buildings destroyed in Aleppo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/384x288_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/640x480_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/750x563_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/828x621_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1080x810_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1200x900_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1920x1440_cmsv2_cdad0363-0fb4-559b-9edd-d911c23fe3be-8928860.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1330px) 70vw, 900px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">An aerial view of the buildings destroyed in Aleppo<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Can Erok for euronews<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Monumental changes for a country that has been under the dynasty of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez al-Assad, since the 1970s and that has endured one of the deadliest conflicts in recent history with the world watching. <\/p>\n<p>Walking through the rubbled streets, Ahmed is full of emotions years later. Remembering his friends who were killed here, he says: \u201cThis is the legacy they have left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are still old projectiles by the sidewalk, people living in and around heavily damaged buildings, and piles of rubble on the main roads and the back streets.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a school day, but dozens of children, many of them without winter gear, are waiting impatiently in line for food distribution at the exact same point that used to be the frontline between the al-Assad forces and the rebels until the evacuation.<\/p>\n<p>Ahmed, 33, who has been living in Azaz in the northern part of Aleppo province since forcibly leaving his home, says it\u2019s the first time he\u2019s come back here and seen the level of destruction.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a turning point, and he says he wishes for it to lead to \u201ca Syria for Syrian people\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>27-year-old Omar, who watches the new period unfold from his living room, which no longer has an outer wall, says the war has impacted his psychology deeply, but looking ahead, he is hopeful.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//88//60//808x539_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg/" alt=\"Residents navigating daily life amid the ruins in Aleppo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/384x256_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/640x427_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/750x500_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/828x552_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1080x720_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1200x800_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/1920x1280_cmsv2_27320875-2454-540f-939f-3452529fb04d-8928860.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1330px) 70vw, 900px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Residents navigating daily life amid the ruins in Aleppo<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Can Erok for euronews<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Omar lived in Lebanon for five years after the war broke out, and he returned with his family because the conditions were very harsh for a refugee working as a stone smith. However, despite the challenges, \u201cthere\u2019s no place like my homeland,\u201d he says, <\/p>\n<p>While the civil war is giving way to a post-Al-Assad period, the fight between the FSA and the Kurdish militia holding positions east of the Euphrates River continues at various points.<\/p>\n<p>The Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates has been damaged, and two water stations were suspended, the United Nations has announced, in the fights between the US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces and the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (FSA) forces in the past weeks.<\/p>\n<p>For Aleppo\u2019s over two million residents, it means they are left without water. And if the dam is further damaged, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns some 40 villages could be flooded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cElectricity is only available for a few hours in the night,\u201d Sima, a 19-year-old computer engineering student from Aleppo, says. \u201cWe are suffering because we don\u2019t have water, electricity or proper internet.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When she was seven, she stopped going to school for three years because of the war. Now, she\u2019s back in school but is pessimistic about possibility to find a job once she graduates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can speak English and I study engineering, but I won\u2019t be able to find a job,\u201d she says. To be able to enjoy the victory over the former government, she adds that daily life needs have to be met.<\/p>\n<p>In Aleppo, schools have reopened, and Christians, who point to happiness over the ending of a conflict but remain cautious over HTS, have attended regular Sunday services.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Haroutioun Simonian, at the Catholic Latin Church in Aleppo, is coordinating the food distribution inside a yard for residents in need, and underlines they are \u201cstill living in a survival mode.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a big change for us,\u201d he says. \u201cThey guaranteed us our freedoms - freedom of faith, of expression, but we don\u2019t know until when or how. There is no law yet. There is no proper government\u2026 We will see.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As a man dances atop a camel, surrounded by a joyful crowd, right nearby, on the entrance of the medieval Aleppo Citadel, the new Syrian flag with three red stars and a green stripe is hung.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With drums rolling and nationalist slogans chanted, a celebration is in the making.<\/p>\n<p>But for residents of Aleppo and Syria alike, there are significant challenges ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Some 90% of Syrians are living under the poverty line, according to various international organisations, including the UN.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, more than six million people have been internally displaced, and just as many have become refugees across the world through the war.<\/p>\n<p>Ties with the Kurdish militia holding the northeast of the country and some neighbourhoods in Aleppo, whether HTS, a group widely acknowledged as a terror organization with past ties to al-Qaeda and its Syrian offshoot Jabhat Al-Nusra, will form an inclusive government and a civil constitution respectful of individual freedoms, Israel\u2019s land expansion, and rebuilding Syria\u2019s poor, damaged infrastructure, education system and human rights records among other big topics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a lot to do,\u201d Ahmed acknowledges. \u201cWe need everyone to rebuild Syria.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>HTS did not respond to Euronews' requests for comment.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734961808,"updatedAt":1735033284,"publishedAt":1735025814,"firstPublishedAt":1735025814,"lastPublishedAt":1735033284,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/88\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2b25cc25-5c74-5a18-ab6b-3d52eee60e17-8928860.jpg","altText":"Syrians wait to receive food in Aleppo","caption":"Syrians wait to receive food in Aleppo","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Can Erok for 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ALEPPO DESTRUCTION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Aleppo residents reflect on former President Assad's destructive regime","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Aleppo residents reflect on former president's destructive regime","titleListing2":"Aleppo residents reflect on former President Assad's destructive regime","leadin":"Syrian and Russian forces battled to bring Syria's second city of Aleppo under Assad's full control for years, unleashing widespread devastation.","summary":"Syrian and Russian forces battled to bring Syria's second city of Aleppo under Assad's full control for years, unleashing widespread devastation.","keySentence":"","url":"aleppo-residents-reflect-on-former-president-assads-destructive-regime","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/22\/aleppo-residents-reflect-on-former-president-assads-destructive-regime","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Following the sudden fall of former Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, residents of Aleppo have been reflecting on the horrors inflicted on them and their city under Al-Assad\u2019s control.\n\nA brutal dictatorship, Al-Assad\u2019s regime unleashed widespread devastation and destruction across Syria\u2019s second city.\n\nRussia propped up Assad's regime and its warplanes bombed Aleppo, a rebel-held city, for many months.\n\nHundreds of thousands were killed in the indiscriminate bombings, while the country\u2019s economic meltdown plunged most of its population into famine and drug trafficking ran rampant.\u00a0\n\nMillions of Syrian refugees, most of them in the countries neighbouring Syria, suffered poverty, legal precariousness and local populations who increasingly demanded their deportation. \n\n84-year-old Dr Obeid Diab was forced to flee from his home as Aleppo was bombed.\n\n\"They would hit indiscriminately. The jets would fly over and the bombs would drop. They\u2019d just fall, whether the wind blows it here or there, you just don\u2019t know. Is there a specific target in mind? I don\u2019t think so, they just hit and go,\" Dr Diab said.\n\nMany people Dr Diab knew were killed in these attacks, including his nine-year-old niece who he buried, alongside many other neighbourhood children, with his bare hands.\n\n\"We had to bury the children with our bare hands. First of all, there were the kids of this neighbourhood. Among them was my niece, this small, she was nine years old. She died. What can one say?\"\n\nCountless people also disappeared into the regime\u2019s brutal prison system, condemned to a life of torture and even death.\n\nAleppo resident Ali said he was arrested and jailed over unfounded accusations.\n\n\"Assad\u2019s criminal army came in, took us to prison, claiming we were affiliated with armed groups,\" he said. \n\nNow finally home, Ali said he stayed in his home in eastern Aleppo all the way through the siege in 2016 and for as long as he could after that, when regime militias were in control of the area.\n\nWith Assad in exile in Russia, the country's new authorities are investigating atrocities by Assad\u2019s forces, mass graves and an array of prisons run by the military, intelligence and security agencies notorious for systematic torture, mass executions and brutal conditions. \n\nWhile the future is still unclear, for many Syrians the fall of Al-Assad has brought hope for the first time.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Following the sudden fall of former Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, residents of Aleppo have been reflecting on the horrors inflicted on them and their city under Al-Assad\u2019s control.<\/p>\n<p>A brutal dictatorship, Al-Assad\u2019s regime unleashed widespread devastation and destruction across Syria\u2019s second city.<\/p>\n<p>Russia propped up Assad's regime and its warplanes bombed Aleppo, a rebel-held city, for many months.<\/p>\n<p>Hundreds of thousands were killed in the indiscriminate bombings, while the country\u2019s economic meltdown plunged most of its population into famine and drug trafficking ran rampant.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Millions of Syrian refugees, most of them in the countries neighbouring Syria, suffered poverty, legal precariousness and local populations who increasingly demanded their deportation. <\/p>\n<p>84-year-old Dr Obeid Diab was forced to flee from his home as Aleppo was bombed.<\/p>\n<p>\"They would hit indiscriminately. The jets would fly over and the bombs would drop. They\u2019d just fall, whether the wind blows it here or there, you just don\u2019t know. Is there a specific target in mind? I don\u2019t think so, they just hit and go,\" Dr Diab said.<\/p>\n<p>Many people Dr Diab knew were killed in these attacks, including his nine-year-old niece who he buried, alongside many other neighbourhood children, with his bare hands.<\/p>\n<p>\"We had to bury the children with our bare hands. First of all, there were the kids of this neighbourhood. Among them was my niece, this small, she was nine years old. She died. What can one say?\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//69//10//808x454_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg/" alt=\"Dr Obeid Diab fled his home after the bombing began under Al-Assad&#39;s regime.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/384x216_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/640x360_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/750x422_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/828x466_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/1080x608_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/1200x675_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/1920x1080_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Dr Obeid Diab fled his home after the bombing began under Al-Assad&#39;s regime.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Countless people also disappeared into the regime\u2019s brutal prison system, condemned to a life of torture and even death.<\/p>\n<p>Aleppo resident Ali said he was arrested and jailed over unfounded accusations.<\/p>\n<p>\"Assad\u2019s criminal army came in, took us to prison, claiming we were affiliated with armed groups,\" he said. <\/p>\n<p>Now finally home, Ali said he stayed in his home in eastern Aleppo all the way through the siege in 2016 and for as long as he could after that, when regime militias were in control of the area.<\/p>\n<p>With Assad in exile in Russia, the country's new authorities are investigating atrocities by Assad\u2019s forces, mass graves and an array of prisons run by the military, intelligence and security agencies notorious for systematic torture, mass executions and brutal conditions. <\/p>\n<p>While the future is still unclear, for many Syrians the fall of Al-Assad has brought hope for the first time.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734878419,"updatedAt":1734887884,"publishedAt":1734887616,"firstPublishedAt":1734887616,"lastPublishedAt":1734887616,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_652ff7d1-0946-5c68-a5e3-f04e9a416540-8926910.jpg","altText":"Syrian children play next to a destroyed residential building at Hanano neighbourhood in the city of Aleppo, Syria.","caption":"Syrian children play next to a destroyed residential building at Hanano neighbourhood in the city of Aleppo, Syria.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Khalil Hamra","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"height":900},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/69\/10\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5876ced0-bf7c-5ae7-a649-529f830a1394-8926910.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":960,"height":540}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":22784,"slug":"aleppo","urlSafeValue":"aleppo","title":"Aleppo","titleRaw":"Aleppo"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2712040},{"id":2717280}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"3X51RUClRXg","dailymotionId":"x9b7i0m"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/22\/en\/241222_NWSU_57341320_57341360_104280_173533_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":104280,"filesizeBytes":13379084,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/22\/en\/241222_NWSU_57341320_57341360_104280_173533_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":104280,"filesizeBytes":20131340,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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Alawites in Syria fear oppression","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"As thousands celebrate al-Assad's fall, Syrian Alawites remain cautious","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"As thousands revel in al-Assad's fall, Syrian Alawites remain cautious","titleListing2":"As thousands celebrate al-Assad's ouster, Syrian Alawites remain cautious","leadin":"Following Bashar al-Assad's recent ouster, ethnic Syrian Alawites have found themselves increasingly anxious over the future under HTS rule, while calls for rights protection and inclusive governance continue to rise.","summary":"Following Bashar al-Assad's recent ouster, ethnic Syrian Alawites have found themselves increasingly anxious over the future under HTS rule, while calls for rights protection and inclusive governance continue to rise.","keySentence":"","url":"as-thousands-celebrate-al-assads-fall-syrian-alawites-remain-cautious","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/19\/as-thousands-celebrate-al-assads-fall-syrian-alawites-remain-cautious","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"As thousands celebrate the ousting of President Bashar Al-Assad in Umayyad Square in central Damascus every day, many Syrian Alawites say concerns over the future of their country make them remain cautious, if not outright anxious.\n\nAfter Al-Assad fled to Russia on 8 December following a lightning military operation led by the rebels headquartered in the northern province of Idlib that took them all the way to the Syrian capital, a brutal civil war that\u2019s lasted for over 13 years came to an end.\n\nBut Ahmed*, a middle-aged receptionist, fears this could be the beginning of a new term of oppression for his family.\n\n\u201cWe are seeing videos from Latakia, where the HTS is rounding people up,\u201d he says, referring to the militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. \n\n\u201cMy wife is crying every day and wants to leave,\u201d he says, whispering.\u00a0\n\nHTS, which at formerly espoused a global jihadist strategy, is designated as a terrorist organisation by European countries and the US alike.\u00a0Al-Sharaa, aka Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, is a Sunni Muslim with past ties to al-Qaeda, and its Syrian satellite, Jabhat Al-Nusra.\u00a0\n\nIn the past, there was even a $10-million (\u20ac9.6m) bounty on any information that could lead to al-Sharaa.\n\nBut recently, the US, the UK, France, Turkey, and others have all lined up to make high-level official contact with the group.\n\nSince al-Assad\u2019s fall, Jolani has started making statements in civilian clothing and even shortened his beard, a move largely believed to be a signal of his more moderate beliefs \u2014 but this hasn\u2019t really helped Ahmed and his family let go of their worries.\n\nAhmed says his anxiety over former jihadis now doesn\u2019t mean that he prefers al-Assad, under whose rule he and his compatriots suffered in poverty while tens of thousands of people disappeared, hundreds of thousands were killed, and millions of people became refugees across the world.\n\n\u201cBut they don\u2019t look anything like us,\u201d he says with concern, showing the headshots of the transition cabinet the HTS set up.\u00a0\n\nIdlib, where the HTS is based and has ruled since 2017, portrays a very conservative way of life, where most women cover their hair, hands and sometimes their faces from an early age and where most males have long beards.\n\nTo an outside observer, some of it might be reminiscent of places ruled by other religious extremists: In August, the Syrian Salvation Government, HTS\u2019 executive brand, imposed gender segregation in schools across Idlib.\u00a0\n\nThe policy foresaw \"distancing from [fashion] trends that are different to our religion's teachings and our traditions\" and the enforcement of \"Sharia-compliant attire\u201d.\n\nSharia courts exist across the province, according to the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights NGO.\n\nThe transitional government set to rule the entire country and led by the interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, includes temporary ministers of interior, economy, health and judiciary, among others, who are expected to hold their positions until March, according to the HTS.\u00a0\n\nThe entire interim cabinet is made up of Sunni men. Yet Syria, a heartland of countless civilisations, is much more diverse than that.\n\nWhile a majority of the country\u2019s population of 24 million is made up of Sunnis, between 10-13% are Alawites, a branch of Islam and the largest minority group in Syria, which is also home to Kurds, Christians, Druze, and others.\n\nBashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are themselves Alawites from Latakia and were known to have installed people from their ethnic group to high-level positions in the military and government since the 1970s, the beginning of their dynasty.\u00a0\n\nYet Syria\u2019s ordinary Alawites, mainly living in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, but also a significant number residing in Damascus and Homs, were not favoured under al-Assad in terms of their freedoms, one young Syrian says.\n\n\u201cIt was worse for me under al-Assad,\u201d Hussein*, a 21-year-old engineering student, explains, standing in front of a small market dotting a small road in Mezzah 86, a neighbourhood of Damascus where many Alawites reside.\n\n\u201cI wasn\u2019t happy with al-Assad, but if I said that, I would be (considered) a traitor. So, double bad for me.\u201d\n\nNow, looking ahead, he says he would like to believe the promises made by the HTS since 8 December, including to protect his rights as a minority and not to go from one oppression to the other.\n\n\u201cNo one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them,\u201d al-Sharaa said in a television interview following the rebels' victory.\n\nOn Wednesday, he promised, too, that Syria will not become \"Afghanistan\u201d when it comes to girls\u2019 education.\n\nThese promises are important but need to be watched very closely, says Adam Coogle, deputy director of the Middle East-North Africa division at Human Rights Watch.\u00a0\n\n\u201cSyria's transitional authorities should protect the rights of all Syrians equally and make clear that acts of revenge outside the rule of law will not be tolerated,\u201d he urges.\u00a0\n\nMeanwhile, reports of Alawite soldiers being kept in HTS-held prisons continue to circulate, though Euronews cannot independently verify these claims.\n\nTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan\u2019s Justice and Development Party or AKP, the political actor with good relations with the HTS, has underlined the need for this to be a model that\u2019s \u201crespectful of freedom of faith\u201d.\n\nIn an interview given to local media recently, \u00d6mer \u00c7elik, the party\u2019s spokesman, said, \u201cSunnis will respect Shias, Shias will respect Sunnis ... A model where all ethnic and religious groups live together. We say, 'Syria belongs to Syrians\u2019.\"\u00a0\n\nHe also urged: \u201cIf there is no inclusive governance model, unfortunately, gains are lost and bigger conflicts arise. There needs to be a model of common will.\u201d\n\nLast Thursday, Syria\u2019s new government froze the constitution and the parliament for a period of three months.\n\nAt the moment, it\u2019s not yet clear whether a new Syria will have a civil constitution that is equal to all people from different backgrounds.\n\nSyrian Alawites who spoke to Euronews all said they would prefer that, and a Syria for all Syrian people.\n\n*The names of Syrians who spoke to Euronews were changed to protect their identities.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>As thousands celebrate the ousting of President Bashar Al-Assad in Umayyad Square in central Damascus every day, many Syrian Alawites say concerns over the future of their country make them remain cautious, if not outright anxious.<\/p>\n<p>After Al-Assad fled to Russia on 8 December following a lightning military operation led by the rebels headquartered in the northern province of Idlib that took them all the way to the Syrian capital, a brutal civil war that\u2019s lasted for over 13 years came to an end.<\/p>\n<p>But Ahmed*, a middle-aged receptionist, fears this could be the beginning of a new term of oppression for his family.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are seeing videos from Latakia, where the HTS is rounding people up,\u201d he says, referring to the militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy wife is crying every day and wants to leave,\u201d he says, whispering.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HTS, which at formerly espoused a global jihadist strategy, is designated as a terrorist organisation by European countries and the US alike.\u00a0Al-Sharaa, aka Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, is a Sunni Muslim with past ties to al-Qaeda, and its Syrian satellite, Jabhat Al-Nusra.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In the past, there was even a $10-million (\u20ac9.6m) bounty on any information that could lead to al-Sharaa.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//14//10//808x608_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg/" alt=\"An aerial view of Damascus, Syria.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/384x288_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/640x480_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/750x563_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/828x621_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1080x810_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1200x900_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1920x1440_cmsv2_dc026e62-2d46-5840-bf6d-07bfce9c1110-8921410.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1330px) 70vw, 900px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">An aerial view of Damascus, Syria.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Can Erok for euronews<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But recently, the US, the UK, France, Turkey, and others have all lined up to make high-level official contact with the group.<\/p>\n<p>Since al-Assad\u2019s fall, Jolani has started making statements in civilian clothing and even shortened his beard, a move largely believed to be a signal of his more moderate beliefs \u2014 but this hasn\u2019t really helped Ahmed and his family let go of their worries.<\/p>\n<p>Ahmed says his anxiety over former jihadis now doesn\u2019t mean that he prefers al-Assad, under whose rule he and his compatriots suffered in poverty while tens of thousands of people disappeared, hundreds of thousands were killed, and millions of people became refugees across the world.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut they don\u2019t look anything like us,\u201d he says with concern, showing the headshots of the transition cabinet the HTS set up.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Idlib, where the HTS is based and has ruled since 2017, portrays a very conservative way of life, where most women cover their hair, hands and sometimes their faces from an early age and where most males have long beards.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.7393333333333333\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//92//14//10//808x599_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg/" alt=\"Syrian citizens celebrate atop an abandoned government tank in Damascus, Syria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/384x284_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/640x473_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/750x555_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/828x612_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1080x798_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1200x887_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/1920x1420_cmsv2_8650f382-1ef7-5bcc-90fc-d44fc0f9a20e-8921410.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1330px) 70vw, 900px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Syrian citizens celebrate atop an abandoned government tank in Damascus, Syria<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Can Erok for euronews<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>To an outside observer, some of it might be reminiscent of places ruled by other religious extremists: In August, the Syrian Salvation Government, HTS\u2019 executive brand, imposed gender segregation in schools across Idlib.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The policy foresaw \"distancing from [fashion] trends that are different to our religion's teachings and our traditions\" and the enforcement of \"Sharia-compliant attire\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Sharia courts exist across the province, according to the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights NGO.<\/p>\n<p>The transitional government set to rule the entire country and led by the interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, includes temporary ministers of interior, economy, health and judiciary, among others, who are expected to hold their positions until March, according to the HTS.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The entire interim cabinet is made up of Sunni men. Yet Syria, a heartland of countless civilisations, is much more diverse than that.<\/p>\n<p>While a majority of the country\u2019s population of 24 million is made up of Sunnis, between 10-13% are Alawites, a branch of Islam and the largest minority group in Syria, which is also home to Kurds, Christians, Druze, and others.<\/p>\n<p>Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are themselves Alawites from Latakia and were known to have installed people from their ethnic group to high-level positions in the military and government since the 1970s, the beginning of their dynasty.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Yet Syria\u2019s ordinary Alawites, mainly living in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, but also a significant number residing in Damascus and Homs, were not favoured under al-Assad in terms of their freedoms, one young Syrian says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8912502\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//15//syrias-kurds-fearful-of-the-future-after-islamist-rebels-seized-power/">Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was worse for me under al-Assad,\u201d Hussein*, a 21-year-old engineering student, explains, standing in front of a small market dotting a small road in Mezzah 86, a neighbourhood of Damascus where many Alawites reside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wasn\u2019t happy with al-Assad, but if I said that, I would be (considered) a traitor. So, double bad for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, looking ahead, he says he would like to believe the promises made by the HTS since 8 December, including to protect his rights as a minority and not to go from one oppression to the other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them,\u201d al-Sharaa said in a television interview following the rebels' victory.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, he promised, too, that Syria will not become \"Afghanistan\u201d when it comes to girls\u2019 education.<\/p>\n<p>These promises are important but need to be watched very closely, says Adam Coogle, deputy director of the Middle East-North Africa division at Human Rights Watch.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSyria's transitional authorities should protect the rights of all Syrians equally and make clear that acts of revenge outside the rule of law will not be tolerated,\u201d he urges.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, reports of Alawite soldiers being kept in HTS-held prisons continue to circulate, though Euronews cannot independently verify these claims.<\/p>\n<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan\u2019s Justice and Development Party or AKP, the political actor with good relations with the HTS, has underlined the need for this to be a model that\u2019s \u201crespectful of freedom of faith\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview given to local media recently, \u00d6mer \u00c7elik, the party\u2019s spokesman, said, \u201cSunnis will respect Shias, Shias will respect Sunnis ... A model where all ethnic and religious groups live together. We say, 'Syria belongs to Syrians\u2019.\"\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He also urged: \u201cIf there is no inclusive governance model, unfortunately, gains are lost and bigger conflicts arise. There needs to be a model of common will.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last Thursday, Syria\u2019s new government froze the constitution and the parliament for a period of three months.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, it\u2019s not yet clear whether a new Syria will have a civil constitution that is equal to all people from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n<p>Syrian Alawites who spoke to Euronews all said they would prefer that, and a Syria for all Syrian people.<\/p>\n<p><em>*The names of Syrians who spoke to Euronews were changed to protect their identities.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734614049,"updatedAt":1735122188,"publishedAt":1734622241,"firstPublishedAt":1734622241,"lastPublishedAt":1735122188,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/14\/10\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_74b1050c-d760-5993-9054-deb08835deb5-8921410.jpg","altText":"A damaged poster of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad is seen above the stands of stadium used as a military 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SYRIA FIRST DOMESTIC FLIGHT","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":6},{"id":8},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Flights resume in Syria","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Flights resume in Syria","titleListing2":"Flights resume in Syria","leadin":"Syria's first domestic flight since the fall of Bashar al-Assad landed in Aleppo on Wednesday after taking off from the capital Damascus.","summary":"Syria's first domestic flight since the fall of Bashar al-Assad landed in Aleppo on Wednesday after taking off from the capital Damascus.","keySentence":"","url":"flights-resume-in-syria","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/18\/flights-resume-in-syria","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"After a period of no commercial airplanes taking off from Syria's airports as insurgent groups made their way towards its major cities, flights are now beginning to resume.\n\nCrews from the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, were among the crowd that greeted a Syrian Air flight on arrival.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>After a period of no commercial airplanes taking off from Syria's airports as insurgent groups made their way towards its major cities, flights are now beginning to resume.<\/p>\n<p>Crews from the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, were among the crowd that greeted a Syrian Air flight on arrival.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734533206,"updatedAt":1734558846,"publishedAt":1734558419,"firstPublishedAt":1734558419,"lastPublishedAt":1734558429,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/94\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_61a91677-7b2f-589f-bd92-46fead491e96-8919486.jpg","altText":"The first domestic flight in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime landed with honours in Aleppo, Syria, on 18.12.2024.","caption":"The first domestic flight in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime landed with honours in Aleppo, Syria, on 18.12.2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Capture d'\u00e9cran d'une vid\u00e9o EBU","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2134,"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","title":"Frederique Mauduit","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"id":2134,"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","title":"Frederique Mauduit","twitter":null}]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":11644,"slug":"conflict-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"conflict-in-syria","title":"Conflict in Syria","titleRaw":"Conflict in Syria"},{"id":12992,"slug":"civial-aviation","urlSafeValue":"civial-aviation","title":"Civil Aviation","titleRaw":"Civil 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- EURONEWS","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":{"id":1694,"urlSafeValue":"aleppo","title":"Aleppo"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isAutomatic":1,"isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"fr","storyId":8919486,"online":1},"path":"\/video\/2024\/12\/18\/flights-resume-in-syria","lastModified":1734558429},{"id":2705850,"cid":8917848,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241218_NWSU_57304160","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA UPDATE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Rebel group HTS gain foothold in Syria ten days after toppling Bashar al-Assad","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"HTS gain foothold in Syria ten days after toppling Bashar al-Assad","titleListing2":"Rebel group HTS gain foothold in Syria ten days after toppling Bashar al-Assad","leadin":"The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is looking to restore life in Syria to pre-civil war times. The rebel group, which orchestrated the stunning downfall of President Bashar al-Assad, is continuing to push out messages of unity to a population severely scarred by decades of domestic division.","summary":"The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is looking to restore life in Syria to pre-civil war times. The rebel group, which orchestrated the stunning downfall of President Bashar al-Assad, is continuing to push out messages of unity to a population severely scarred by decades of domestic division.","keySentence":"","url":"hts-gains-a-foothold-on-key-sectors-in-syria-only-10-days-after-toppling-bashar-al-assad","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/18\/hts-gains-a-foothold-on-key-sectors-in-syria-only-10-days-after-toppling-bashar-al-assad","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group in Syria is consolidating its power just 10-days after the country\u2019s long-time autocratic president, Bashar al-Assad was dramatically removed from power.\n\nKey sectors of the country are slowly being dragged under their control with the latest two being the military and police forces.\n\nHTS which led a coalition of militias in a surprise offensive late November leading to al-Assad\u2019s downfall, has emerged as the top entity in Syria. In the last 10-days, they\u2019ve appointed a new interim government, and urged Syrians abroad, some displaced for over a decade, to return home.\n\nLife in Damascus is steadily returning to normal. Schools have been reopening and social services are being restored. Foreign embassies are also slowly reopening, the French flag was raised over its embassy in Damascus, a symbolic gesture from Paris. French officials confirmed a top diplomat has arrived at the Syrian capital; for the first time in 12 years, to engage in talks with the country\u2019s new administration.\n\nHTS, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa; formerly known by his alias Mohammed al-Golani, says they\u2019ve undergone internal reforms highlighted by a desire to create a Syria that\u2019s based on unity, nationalism and peace.\n\nHTS gains a foothold on Damascus police forces\n\nAbou Othma, who formerly headed the Idlib police, has been appointed by the HTS to manage all police stations in the capital.\n\nHe\u2019s been tasked with enforcing the group\u2019s new laws, which are yet to be rolled out. A new set of laws are set to come out soon, but for the time being, they\u2019re still under discussion.\n\nIt\u2019s a mountainous task ahead, as the Damascus police force must essentially be built from scratch. All police officers serving in the capital under al-Assad were replaced and their weapons recovered.\n\n\"Most of the former police officers fled straight away when we arrived. But we did arrest a few of them,\" said a man carrying a gun, who recently joined the new police force, and did not share his name.\n\nNew officers are being brought in from the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib, the stronghold of the ruling rebel group.\n\n\"I arrived here in Damascus seven days ago. We're just here to protect the population,\" said a newly appointed policeman who recently arrived from Idlib.\n\nThe Damascus police currently have very limited and restricted duties. Until the new laws are announced, they cannot enforce anything. Most of their day-to-day operations involves taking complaints from the public and providing assurances.\n\nA clear legal framework aside, Damascus police are also battling staff shortages.\n\n\"We clearly have a shortage of police officers. So we're going to open the doors of our establishment to those who want to join us. So, after evaluation, we will proceed with recruitment,\" says Damascus police chief, Abou Othma.\n\nFormer soldiers under al-Assad allowed to reconcile their status with the new interim government\n\nHundreds of Syrian soldiers and officers lined up on Tuesday outside a reconciliation centre in Latakia city in northern Syria.\n\nThe aim was to register their details with the new interim government so they could obtain new identity cards allowing them to freely live and roam around the country.\n\n\u201cWe have opened this centre in Latakia province, the centre receives all those who were affiliated with the former ousted regime. The idea of the reconciliation centre is to give the soldiers reconciliation ID for three months that allows him to move freely and safely in Syria,\" says Mohammad Mustafa, State Security officer in the interim government.\n\nFormer soldiers filled out application forms comprising their personal information. Their weapons are also confiscated before the process is complete.\n\n\"Those who are holding a weapon, it will be taken away from them, then applications will be filed with all the info, then new Identity cards are issued and delivered to them,\" noted Mohammad Mustafa.\n\nThe new HTS-appointed Syrian interim government gave safety assurances and amnesty to former soldiers and police officers who didn\u2019t partake in the torturing and killing of civilians during al-Assad\u2019s reign.\n\nThe new administration called on people to go back to work and urged Syrian refugees around the world to return to help rebuild.\n\nIt announced plans to rehabilitate and vet the security forces to prevent the return of \u201cthose with blood on their hands\".\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group in Syria is consolidating its power just 10-days after the country\u2019s long-time autocratic president, Bashar al-Assad was dramatically removed from power.<\/p>\n<p>Key sectors of the country are slowly being dragged under their control with the latest two being the military and police forces.<\/p>\n<p>HTS which led a coalition of militias in a surprise offensive late November leading to al-Assad\u2019s downfall, has emerged as the top entity in Syria. In the last 10-days, they\u2019ve appointed a new interim government, and urged Syrians abroad, some displaced for over a decade, to return home.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//78//48//808x539_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg/" alt=\"A Syrian woman with a scarf in colors of &quot;revolutionary&quot; Syrian flag takes a selfie with her friends as they celebrate in a restaurant in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 17\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/384x256_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/640x427_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/750x500_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/828x552_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1080x720_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1200x800_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1920x1281_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A Syrian woman with a scarf in colors of &quot;revolutionary&quot; Syrian flag takes a selfie with her friends as they celebrate in a restaurant in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 17<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Life in Damascus is steadily returning to normal. Schools have been reopening and social services are being restored. Foreign embassies are also slowly reopening, the French flag was raised over its embassy in Damascus, a symbolic gesture from Paris. French officials confirmed a top diplomat has arrived at the Syrian capital; for the first time in 12 years, to engage in talks with the country\u2019s new administration.<\/p>\n<p>HTS, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa; formerly known by his alias Mohammed al-Golani, says they\u2019ve undergone internal reforms highlighted by a desire to create a Syria that\u2019s based on unity, nationalism and peace.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>HTS gains a foothold on Damascus police forces<\/strong><\/h2><p>Abou Othma, who formerly headed the Idlib police, has been appointed by the HTS to manage all police stations in the capital.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s been tasked with enforcing the group\u2019s new laws, which are yet to be rolled out. A new set of laws are set to come out soon, but for the time being, they\u2019re still under discussion.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a mountainous task ahead, as the Damascus police force must essentially be built from scratch. All police officers serving in the capital under al-Assad were replaced and their weapons recovered.<\/p>\n<p>\"Most of the former police officers fled straight away when we arrived. But we did arrest a few of them,\" said a man carrying a gun, who recently joined the new police force, and did not share his name.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//78//48//808x539_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg/" alt=\"Syrian fighters sit in a street as they guard a police station in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/384x256_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/640x427_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/750x500_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/828x552_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1080x720_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1200x800_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1920x1281_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Syrian fighters sit in a street as they guard a police station in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>New officers are being brought in from the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib, the stronghold of the ruling rebel group.<\/p>\n<p>\"I arrived here in Damascus seven days ago. We're just here to protect the population,\" said a newly appointed policeman who recently arrived from Idlib.<\/p>\n<p>The Damascus police currently have very limited and restricted duties. Until the new laws are announced, they cannot enforce anything. Most of their day-to-day operations involves taking complaints from the public and providing assurances.<\/p>\n<p>A clear legal framework aside, Damascus police are also battling staff shortages.<\/p>\n<p>\"We clearly have a shortage of police officers. So we're going to open the doors of our establishment to those who want to join us. So, after evaluation, we will proceed with recruitment,\" says Damascus police chief, Abou Othma.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Former soldiers under al-Assad allowed to reconcile their status with the new interim government<\/strong><\/h2><p>Hundreds of Syrian soldiers and officers lined up on Tuesday outside a reconciliation centre in Latakia city in northern Syria.<\/p>\n<p>The aim was to register their details with the new interim government so they could obtain new identity cards allowing them to freely live and roam around the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have opened this centre in Latakia province, the centre receives all those who were affiliated with the former ousted regime. The idea of the reconciliation centre is to give the soldiers reconciliation ID for three months that allows him to move freely and safely in Syria,\" says Mohammad Mustafa, State Security officer in the interim government.<\/p>\n<p>Former soldiers filled out application forms comprising their personal information. Their weapons are also confiscated before the process is complete.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//78//48//808x539_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg/" alt=\"A member of Bashar Assad&#39;s army or a pro-government militia registers with Syrian rebels as part of an &quot;identification and reconciliation&quot; process at a compound in Latakia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/384x256_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/640x427_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/750x500_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/828x552_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1080x720_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1200x800_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/1920x1281_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A member of Bashar Assad&#39;s army or a pro-government militia registers with Syrian rebels as part of an &quot;identification and reconciliation&quot; process at a compound in Latakia<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\"Those who are holding a weapon, it will be taken away from them, then applications will be filed with all the info, then new Identity cards are issued and delivered to them,\" noted Mohammad Mustafa.<\/p>\n<p>The new HTS-appointed Syrian interim government gave safety assurances and amnesty to former soldiers and police officers who didn\u2019t partake in the torturing and killing of civilians during al-Assad\u2019s reign.<\/p>\n<p>The new administration called on people to go back to work and urged Syrian refugees around the world to return to help rebuild.<\/p>\n<p>It announced plans to rehabilitate and vet the security forces to prevent the return of \u201cthose with blood on their hands\".<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734484075,"updatedAt":1734502762,"publishedAt":1734490635,"firstPublishedAt":1734490635,"lastPublishedAt":1734502762,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1619246c-7340-57d1-9abd-83c6d64aed68-8917848.jpg","altText":"Members from Bashar Assad's Syrian army period line up to register with Syrian rebels as part of a \"identification and reconciliation process\" at a army compound in Latakia","caption":"Members from Bashar Assad's Syrian army period line up to register with Syrian rebels as part of a \"identification and reconciliation process\" at a army compound in Latakia","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":880,"height":494},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0f81126a-d65c-52cd-9411-bd7e04b8644b-8917848.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3ad93952-b245-508e-a1db-c7a5ec79796b-8917848.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/78\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a66fedfe-51e8-5842-9f0e-ad9f112e7919-8917848.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3270,"urlSafeValue":"fouda","title":"Malek Fouda","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":30244,"slug":"tahrir-al-sham","urlSafeValue":"tahrir-al-sham","title":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham","titleRaw":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham"},{"id":1802,"slug":"damascus","urlSafeValue":"damascus","title":"Damascus","titleRaw":"Damascus"},{"id":17039,"slug":"rebels","urlSafeValue":"rebels","title":"Rebels","titleRaw":"Rebels"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3}],"related":[{"id":2704534},{"id":2704942}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"N91FcnkebC0","dailymotionId":"x9ayz3c"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/18\/en\/241218_NWSU_57304160_57304210_80000_051353_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":80000,"filesizeBytes":10255208,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/18\/en\/241218_NWSU_57304160_57304210_80000_051353_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":80000,"filesizeBytes":15412584,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"EBU, 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HTS leader says rebel factions that overthrew Assad will be \u2018disbanded\u2019","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria's HTS leader says rebel groups will be 'disbanded' to join one army","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria's HTS leader says rebel groups will be 'disbanded' to join army","titleListing2":"Syria's HTS leader says rebel groups will be 'disbanded' and join one army","leadin":"HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa pushed a message of unity in Syria as he sought to reassure minorities in the war-torn country.","summary":"HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa pushed a message of unity in Syria as he sought to reassure minorities in the war-torn country.","keySentence":"","url":"syrias-hts-leader-says-rebel-groups-will-be-disbanded-to-join-one-army","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/17\/syrias-hts-leader-says-rebel-groups-will-be-disbanded-to-join-one-army","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Syria's rebel factions will be \"disbanded\" and trained to join the \"ranks of the defence ministry\" said the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which led rebel fighters to Damascus and toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's regime. \n\nAhmed al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, added that all fighters would be \"subject to the law\" as he sought to reassure minorities in Syria that the group would protect citizens and continue state institutions in the multi-ethnic country. \n\n\u201cSyria must remain united,\u201d al-Sharaa said, according to the group\u2019s Telegram channel. \u201cThere must be a social contract between the state and all religions to guarantee social justice\u201d.\n\nIn a separate meeting, al-Sharaa said that international sanctions against Damascus should be lifted so that displaced refugees could return home. \n\nHe stressed the \"importance of restoring relations with London\" according to comments posted on the group's Telegram on Monday. \n\nLast week, the UK indicated it would review HTS' designation as a terrorist organisation, although British Prime Minister Keir Starmer then concluded it was \"far too early\" to make official assessments of the group. \n\nHTS is a former affiliate of al-Qaida and a listed terrorist organisation in the UK, US and European Union. The group cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and has renounced jihadism, although it has still been accused of various human rights abuses, including executions for blasphemy and adultery.\n\nIts designation as a terrorist group carries severe sanctions, including bans on weapons sales and oil imports.\n\nHTS establishes contact \n\nSince taking over power in the stunning overthrow of al-Assad's regime, HTS has worked to establish a smooth political transition in the country, including working with members of al-Assad's former government. \n\nNevertheless, Western countries have been cautious about lifting sanctions against Syria, although many have established initial contact with HTS. \n\nThe EU's new foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc should be ready to ease sanctions under the caveat that HTS takes \"positive steps\" to establish a government that respects women's and minority rights. \n\nHTS' spokesman Obeida Arnaout insisted that Syria had entered a new phase and that the government was looking to build good relations with its neighbours, calling the designation of HTS as a terrorist group \"not accurate\".\n\nSyria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities that have spent years pitted against each other by al-Assad's state and a gruelling civil war. \n\nThe US-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria are one such minority that control the semi-autonomous region and oversee detention centres housing IS militants. \n\nClashes over territory have already taken place in some areas between Kurdish forces and the armed groups that overthrew al-Assad.\n\nArnaout insisted that Kurds are part of the Syrian people and their rights will be protected but added that the new government would not accept any part of Syria to be outside of Damascus' control.\n\n\u201cKurds are one of the components of the Syrian people and we are very keen that this group has its rights protected,\u201d he said. \u201cThe social fabric in Syria is a source of strength and not weakness. But we affirm that we don\u2019t any part of Syria to be separated.\u201d\n\nThe UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said Monday he met with the HTS leader and has since called for the lifting of international sanctions on Syria to allow for faster rebuilding.\n\nMeanwhile, a UK-based war monitor said on Monday that Israeli strikes which hit missile warehouses inside Syria were the \"most violent\" since 2012. \n\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the strikes are necessary to combat groups that threaten Israeli interests by filling a \"power vacuum\" left behind by al-Assad.\n\nIsraeli troops have also seized a border buffer zone in the country, sparking condemnation from critics who say the move could constitute an exploitative land grab. \n\n","htmlText":"<p>Syria's rebel factions will be \"disbanded\" and trained to join the \"ranks of the defence ministry\" said the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which led rebel fighters to Damascus and toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's regime. <\/p>\n<p>Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, added that all fighters would be \"subject to the law\" as he sought to reassure minorities in Syria that the group would protect citizens and continue state institutions in the multi-ethnic country. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSyria must remain united,\u201d al-Sharaa said, according to the group\u2019s Telegram channel. \u201cThere must be a social contract between the state and all religions to guarantee social justice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In a separate meeting, al-Sharaa said that international sanctions against Damascus should be lifted so that displaced refugees could return home. <\/p>\n<p>He stressed the \"importance of restoring relations with London\" according to comments posted on the group's Telegram on Monday. <\/p>\n<p>Last week, the UK indicated it would review HTS' designation as a terrorist organisation, although British Prime Minister Keir Starmer then concluded it was \"far too early\" to make official assessments of the group. <\/p>\n<p>HTS is a former affiliate of al-Qaida and a listed terrorist organisation in the UK, US and European Union. The group cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and has renounced jihadism, although it has still been accused of various human rights abuses, including executions for blasphemy and adultery.<\/p>\n<p>Its designation as a terrorist group carries severe sanctions, including bans on weapons sales and oil imports.<\/p>\n<h2>HTS establishes contact<\/h2><p>Since taking over power in the stunning overthrow of al-Assad's regime, HTS has worked to establish a smooth political transition in the country, including working with members of al-Assad's former government. <\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Western countries have been cautious about lifting sanctions against Syria, although many have established initial contact with HTS. <\/p>\n<p>The EU's new foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//16//eu-takes-first-step-to-make-contact-with-syrian-rebels-kallas-announces/">said <\/a>the bloc should be ready to ease sanctions under the caveat that HTS takes \"positive steps\" to establish a government that respects women's and minority rights. <\/p>\n<p>HTS' spokesman Obeida Arnaout insisted that Syria had entered a new phase and that the government was looking to build good relations with its neighbours, calling the designation of HTS as a terrorist group \"not accurate\".<\/p>\n<p>Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities that have spent years pitted against each other by al-Assad's state and a gruelling civil war. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8915294,8913608\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//16//eu-takes-first-step-to-make-contact-with-syrian-rebels-kallas-announces/">EU takes first step to make contact with Syrian rebels, Kallas announces<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//16//theres-no-reason-for-russian-troop-presence-in-syria-syrias-new-transitional-government/">Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops in country<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The US-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria are one such minority that control the semi-autonomous region and oversee detention centres housing IS militants. <\/p>\n<p>Clashes over territory have already taken place in some areas between Kurdish forces and the armed groups that overthrew al-Assad.<\/p>\n<p>Arnaout insisted that Kurds are part of the Syrian people and their rights will be protected but added that the new government would not accept any part of Syria to be outside of Damascus' control.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKurds are one of the components of the Syrian people and we are very keen that this group has its rights protected,\u201d he said. \u201cThe social fabric in Syria is a source of strength and not weakness. But we affirm that we don\u2019t any part of Syria to be separated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said Monday he met with the HTS leader and has since called for the lifting of international sanctions on Syria to allow for faster rebuilding.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, a UK-based war monitor said on Monday that Israeli strikes which hit missile warehouses inside Syria were the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//16//israeli-airstrikes-in-syria-most-violent-since-2012-monitor-says/">/"most violent\"<\/a> since 2012. <\/p>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the strikes are necessary to combat groups that threaten Israeli interests by filling a \"power vacuum\" left behind by al-Assad.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli troops have also seized a border buffer zone in the country, sparking condemnation from critics who say the move could constitute an exploitative land grab. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734419994,"updatedAt":1734432056,"publishedAt":1734430897,"firstPublishedAt":1734430897,"lastPublishedAt":1734430897,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/56\/44\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_77bcc2ae-56d1-54cc-a33d-347af7ba7ec2-8915644.jpg","altText":"A masked opposition fighter carries a flag of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, 2024.","caption":"A masked opposition fighter carries a flag of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, 2024.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2940,"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","title":"Tamsin Paternoster","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":10547,"slug":"syrian-politics","urlSafeValue":"syrian-politics","title":"Syrian politics","titleRaw":"Syrian politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2705242}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122009","80122011","80222009","80222011","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212004"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_ethnic_specific","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/17\/syrias-hts-leader-says-rebel-groups-will-be-disbanded-to-join-one-army","lastModified":1734430897},{"id":2704942,"cid":8915294,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241217_NWSU_57293356","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA DIPLOMACY UPDATE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops in country","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops","titleListing2":"Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops","leadin":"Syria\u2019s new transitional government says there is no place for Russian presence in Syria a week after the country\u2019s long-time President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. The new government also says it is open to engage in contacts with all countries to pave Syria\u2019s new future.","summary":"Syria\u2019s new transitional government says there is no place for Russian presence in Syria a week after the country\u2019s long-time President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. The new government also says it is open to engage in contacts with all countries to pave Syria\u2019s new future.","keySentence":"","url":"theres-no-reason-for-russian-troop-presence-in-syria-syrias-new-transitional-government","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/16\/theres-no-reason-for-russian-troop-presence-in-syria-syrias-new-transitional-government","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Spokesperson for the political department of Syria\u2019s new transitional government has called on Russia to reconsider its presence in the country now that their ally; President Bashar al-Assad, has been overthrown.\n\nA convoy of Russian military vehicles was spotted traveling from the coastal city of Latakia, and were headed southward towards the city of Tartus.\n\nRussia operates two military bases in Syria: The Khmeimim Air Base near the port city of Latakia and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast. They are considered among the Kremlin\u2019s most strategically important military outposts.\n\nThe Tartus site is particularly critical, providing Russia with its only direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and a base to conduct naval exercises, station warships and even host nuclear submarines.\n\nWestern analysts and intelligence say the Kremlin is engaging in a large-scale withdrawal from Syria, though Moscow has yet to confirm.\n\nObeida Arnaout, the spokesman for Syria\u2019s new transitional government appointed by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group responsible for Assad\u2019s downfall, says Russia\u2019s recent movement in Syria has been ambiguous.\n\nHe stresses that their decision to remove navy ships from ports and move fleets of military vehicles from bases does not clearly indicate whether the Kremlin is indeed withdrawing, or if this is part of their regular movements.\n\n\u201cI think that Russia should reconsider its presence on Syrian territory as well as its interests,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cTheir interests were linked to the criminal Assad Regime. They can reconsider and take the initiatives to reach out to the new administration to show that they have no animosity with the Syrian people, and that the era of Assad regime is finally over,\u201d Arnaout added.\n\nArnaout says the new government has been holding talks at the highest level with many countries around the world. Speaking to Arabic media, he emphasised that Syria has entered a new phase, a phase focused on repairing decades of domestic division and almost 14-years of brutal fighting.\n\nHe continued saying that Syria\u2019s new policy is one of openness, an approach that seeks to build good relations with its neighbours and the wider world.\n\nOn Saturday, the US publicly confirmed for the first time its participation in talks with the HTS, the UK confirmed similar action the following day.\n\nAnd on Monday, the EU also announced it was taking its first step towards making contact with the rebel group. The move represents the strongest indication yet about the bloc's willingness to begin normalising ties with HTS.\n\n\"I've tasked a European top diplomat in Syria to go to Damascus to make the contacts with the new government and people there,\" said Kaja Kallas; EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Monday morning before heading into a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels, where the future of Syria is one of the main items on the agenda.\n\nIs a change in the HTS\u2019 terrorist designation on the horizon?\n\nThe HTS has been blacklisted for terrorism by the United Nations since 2014 due to its previous alliance with al-Qaeda. All 27 members of the EU follow that designation.\n\nBut it\u2019s a designation the HTS is hoping countries would quickly abandon. Arnaout says labelling the HTS as such is \u201cnot right and not accurate.\u201d He expressed the group\u2019s new operations are centred on unity and justice, and urged the EU, US, UK and other countries to reconsider the classification.\n\nAsked if the bloc should revise the terrorist designation to facilitate diplomacy, the EU High Representative said \"For us, it's not only the words, but we want to see the deeds going in the right direction. So not only what they are saying, but also what they are doing,\" Kallas said.\n\nShe continued saying \"I think the coming weeks and months will show whether it goes in the right direction.\"\n\nConcerns over the HTS\u2019 \u2018reformed\u2019 approach\n\nSince overthrowing Assad's regime, HTS has positioned itself as the leading force in the new political era, appointing a caretaker prime minister to administer a transitional government until March 2025. The group has also vowed to move the war-torn country from a state-controlled to a free-market economy to attract investors.\n\nHowever, HTS remains plagued by accusations of human rights abuses, including alleged executions for blasphemy and adultery carried out under a strict, and at times, extreme, interpretation of Islamic law. This background has raised doubts about the rebel force's ability to guarantee pluralism and tolerance after the fall of Assad.\n\nSyria is a highly diverse country, inhabited by Sunni Muslims, who represent over 70% of the population, alongside Shia Muslims, Alawites, Christians and ethnic minorities like Druze, Iraqis, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds and Palestinians.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The Spokesperson for the political department of Syria\u2019s new transitional government has called on Russia to reconsider its presence in the country now that their ally; President Bashar al-Assad, has been overthrown.<\/p>\n<p>A convoy of Russian military vehicles was spotted traveling from the coastal city of Latakia, and were headed southward towards the city of Tartus.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//52//94//808x539_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg/" alt=\"A Russian soldier stands next to a Russian military convoy as it moves along a road near the Mediterranean town of Tartus, Syria, Monday Dec. 16, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/384x256_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/640x427_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/750x500_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/828x552_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1080x720_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1200x800_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1920x1281_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A Russian soldier stands next to a Russian military convoy as it moves along a road near the Mediterranean town of Tartus, Syria, Monday Dec. 16, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Russia operates two military bases in Syria: The Khmeimim Air Base near the port city of Latakia and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast. They are considered among the Kremlin\u2019s most strategically important military outposts.<\/p>\n<p>The Tartus site is particularly critical, providing Russia with its only direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and a base to conduct naval exercises, station warships and even host nuclear submarines.<\/p>\n<p>Western analysts and intelligence say the Kremlin is engaging in a large-scale withdrawal from Syria, though Moscow has yet to confirm.<\/p>\n<p>Obeida Arnaout, the spokesman for Syria\u2019s new transitional government appointed by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group responsible for Assad\u2019s downfall, says Russia\u2019s recent movement in Syria has been ambiguous.<\/p>\n<p>He stresses that their decision to remove navy ships from ports and move fleets of military vehicles from bases does not clearly indicate whether the Kremlin is indeed withdrawing, or if this is part of their regular movements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that Russia should reconsider its presence on Syrian territory as well as its interests,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir interests were linked to the criminal Assad Regime. They can reconsider and take the initiatives to reach out to the new administration to show that they have no animosity with the Syrian people, and that the era of Assad regime is finally over,\u201d Arnaout added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//52//94//808x539_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg/" alt=\"Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new government speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/384x256_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/640x427_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/750x500_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/828x552_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1080x720_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1200x800_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/1920x1281_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new government speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Omar Sanadiki\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Arnaout says the new government has been holding talks at the highest level with many countries around the world. Speaking to Arabic media, he emphasised that Syria has entered a new phase, a phase focused on repairing decades of domestic division and almost 14-years of brutal fighting.<\/p>\n<p>He continued saying that Syria\u2019s new policy is one of openness, an approach that seeks to build good relations with its neighbours and the wider world.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, the US publicly confirmed for the first time its participation in talks with the HTS, the UK confirmed similar action the following day.<\/p>\n<p>And on Monday, the EU also announced it was taking its first step towards making contact with the rebel group. The move represents the strongest indication yet about the bloc's willingness to begin normalising ties with HTS.<\/p>\n<p>\"I've tasked a European top diplomat in Syria to go to Damascus to make the contacts with the new government and people there,\" said Kaja Kallas; EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Monday morning before heading into a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels, where the future of Syria is one of the main items on the agenda.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Is a change in the HTS\u2019 terrorist designation on the horizon?<\/strong><\/h2><p>The HTS has been blacklisted for terrorism by the United Nations since 2014 due to its previous alliance with al-Qaeda. All 27 members of the EU follow that designation.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s a designation the HTS is hoping countries would quickly abandon. Arnaout says labelling the HTS as such is \u201cnot right and not accurate.\u201d He expressed the group\u2019s new operations are centred on unity and justice, and urged the EU, US, UK and other countries to reconsider the classification.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"1868685697386701263\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Asked if the bloc should revise the terrorist designation to facilitate diplomacy, the EU High Representative said \"For us, it's not only the words, but we want to see the deeds going in the right direction. So not only what they are saying, but also what they are doing,\" Kallas said.<\/p>\n<p>She continued saying \"I think the coming weeks and months will show whether it goes in the right direction.\"<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Concerns over the HTS\u2019 \u2018reformed\u2019 approach<\/strong><\/h2><p>Since overthrowing Assad's regime, HTS has positioned itself as the leading force in the new political era, appointing a caretaker prime minister to administer a transitional government until March 2025. The group has also vowed to move the war-torn country from a state-controlled to a free-market economy to attract investors.<\/p>\n<p>However, HTS remains plagued by accusations of human rights abuses, including alleged executions for blasphemy and adultery carried out under a strict, and at times, extreme, interpretation of Islamic law. This background has raised doubts about the rebel force's ability to guarantee pluralism and tolerance after the fall of Assad.<\/p>\n<p>Syria is a highly diverse country, inhabited by Sunni Muslims, who represent over 70% of the population, alongside Shia Muslims, Alawites, Christians and ethnic minorities like Druze, Iraqis, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds and Palestinians.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734382831,"updatedAt":1734422408,"publishedAt":1734388941,"firstPublishedAt":1734388941,"lastPublishedAt":1734419922,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2a1765de-8bc6-5763-b3b4-464eed6e7a85-8915294.jpg","altText":"A Russian army convoy moves along a road near the Mediterranean town of Tartus, Syria, Monday Dec. 16, 2024","caption":"A Russian army convoy moves along a road near the Mediterranean town of Tartus, Syria, Monday Dec. 16, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Leo Correa\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":819,"height":460},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d093ba00-4a7a-5c21-bd60-8ef12f11a0a5-8915294.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/52\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_995835b9-76cb-5930-a41f-afae75667789-8915294.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":30244,"slug":"tahrir-al-sham","urlSafeValue":"tahrir-al-sham","title":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham","titleRaw":"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham"},{"id":5728,"slug":"bashar-al-assad","urlSafeValue":"bashar-al-assad","title":"Bashar al-Assad","titleRaw":"Bashar al-Assad"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"},{"id":10547,"slug":"syrian-politics","urlSafeValue":"syrian-politics","title":"Syrian politics","titleRaw":"Syrian politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":2},{"slug":"twitter","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2703598},{"id":2705850}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"EXg49n3oaNc","dailymotionId":"x9awt5y"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/17\/en\/241217_NWSU_57293356_57295446_114000_085541_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":114000,"filesizeBytes":14536527,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/17\/en\/241217_NWSU_57293356_57295446_114000_085541_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":114000,"filesizeBytes":21469007,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA 'MOST VIOLENT' SINCE 2012","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Israeli airstrikes in Syria 'most violent' since 2012, monitor says","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Israeli airstrikes in Syria 'most violent' since 2012, monitor says","titleListing2":"Israeli airstrikes in Syria 'most violent' since 2012, monitor says","leadin":"The Israeli military says it is only hitting military targets in Syria after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's rule last weekend following a stunning rebel advance.","summary":"The Israeli military says it is only hitting military targets in Syria after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's rule last weekend following a stunning rebel advance.","keySentence":"","url":"israeli-airstrikes-in-syria-most-violent-since-2012-monitor-says","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/16\/israeli-airstrikes-in-syria-most-violent-since-2012-monitor-says","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Israeli airstrikes in Syria are the \"most violent\" since 2012, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. \n\nAccording to the data from the organisation that has been monitoring the war in Syria for over a decade, Israel has struck its neighbour more than 450 times since Bashar al-Assad fled last weekend, destroying Syria's navy and countless air bases and military equipment along Syria's coast.\n\nMost recently, Israeli missiles have pounded Syrian missile warehouses and former army sites 75 times in attacks beginning on Saturday night near the cities of Hama, Homs, and the capital of Damascus, according to the group. \n\nLast week, Israel's military also seized control of the summit of Mount Hernon \u2014 part of a demilitarised buffer zone created as part of a 1974 ceasefire between the two countries. \n\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the move is temporary and necessary to secure stability on the border. \n\nHe has not yet given a timeline for Israel's departure from the territory despite receiving backlash from the international community that the move violated a ceasefire agreement between the two countries and could constitute an exploitative land grab. \n\nUN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the peacekeepers warned Israel its move would \"constitute a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement\", which stipulates there should be no soldiers in the area. \n\nThe head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebel group that led forces through Syria and claimed Damascus over the last weekend, called Israel's territorial seizures \"unwarranted\".\n\nSpeaking on Syria TV, Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, added that, at the same time, the country could not afford to withstand any more conflict. \n\n\u201cSyria\u2019s war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations,\u201d al-Sharaa said. \"The priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction.\u201d\n\nLast week, France urged Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone separating the two countries, echoing calls from Arab countries to respect Syria's sovereignty. \n\nA 'vacuum'\n\nDespite calls to retreat, Netanyahu argued that Israel's strikes were necessary to stem the development of alleged \"jihadi groups\" that threatened Israeli security. \n\nUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed his statement on Thursday, saying that Israel informed the Biden administration of its temporary presence in Syria to ensure this \"vacuum isn't filled by something bad\".\n\nHTS currently have power in Syria. The group is a classified terrorist organisation in the US, UK and Europe over its links to al-Qaeda. In recent years, it has pursued a moderate stance and, since taking power from al-Assad, has promised to resume government services and pushed for moderate governance. \n\nUS officials confirmed on Saturday that they were in direct contact with HTS and several other countries. Blinken said he signed off on a set of principles meant to guide Syria\u2019s transition to a peaceful, nonsectarian and inclusive country.\n\nCurrently, it is unclear how other foreign powers will protect their interests in Syria since the shock collapse of al-Assad's regime. Russia, which has two military bases in the country, has not yet formally said what would happen with its forces based there. \n\nTurkish Defence Minister Ya\u015far G\u00fcler told local media that he didn't think Russia would leave, saying, \" They\u2019ll do everything they can to stay.\u201d\n\nG\u00fcler added that Turkey, who has long had links with the rebels that overtook Damascus, had offered Russia help in communication with Syria's new leadership. \n\nCurrently, the transitional administration in Damascus announced that schools and universities were to start classes again on Sunday as the country. Authorities led by HTS said they aimed to re-establish public services to bring the country to a sense of normalcy. \n\n","htmlText":"<p>Israeli airstrikes in Syria are the \"most violent\" since 2012, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. <\/p>\n<p>According to the data from the organisation that has been monitoring the war in Syria for over a decade, Israel has struck its neighbour more than 450 times since Bashar al-Assad fled last weekend, destroying Syria's navy and countless air bases and military equipment along Syria's coast.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently, Israeli missiles have pounded Syrian missile warehouses and former army sites 75 times in attacks beginning on Saturday night near the cities of Hama, Homs, and the capital of Damascus, according to the group. <\/p>\n<p>Last week, Israel's military also seized control of the summit of Mount Hernon \u2014 part of a demilitarised buffer zone created as part of a 1974 ceasefire between the two countries. <\/p>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the move is temporary and necessary to secure stability on the border. <\/p>\n<p>He has not yet given a timeline for Israel's departure from the territory despite receiving backlash from the international community that the move violated a ceasefire agreement between the two countries and could constitute an exploitative land grab. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8913040,8907938\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//12//15//israel-approves-plans-to-up-golan-heights-settler-numbers-as-new-front-opens-in-syria/">Israel plans to expand into Golan Heights in a 'new front' in Syria<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//13//its-not-safe-yet-syrian-diaspora-in-europe-caught-between-joy-and-anxiety/">'It's not safe yet': Syrian diaspora in Europe caught between joy and anxiety<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the peacekeepers warned Israel its move would \"constitute a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement\", which stipulates there should be no soldiers in the area. <\/p>\n<p>The head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebel group that led forces through Syria and claimed Damascus over the last weekend, called Israel's territorial seizures \"unwarranted\".<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on Syria TV, Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, added that, at the same time, the country could not afford to withstand any more conflict. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSyria\u2019s war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations,\u201d al-Sharaa said. \"The priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last week, France urged Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone separating the two countries, echoing calls from Arab countries to respect Syria's sovereignty. <\/p>\n<h2>A 'vacuum'<\/h2><p>Despite calls to retreat, Netanyahu argued that Israel's strikes were necessary to stem the development of alleged \"jihadi groups\" that threatened Israeli security. <\/p>\n<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed his statement on Thursday, saying that Israel informed the Biden administration of its temporary presence in Syria to ensure this \"vacuum isn't filled by something bad\".<\/p>\n<p>HTS currently have power in Syria. The group is a classified terrorist organisation in the US, UK and Europe over its links to al-Qaeda. In recent years, it has pursued a moderate stance and, since taking power from al-Assad, has promised to resume government services and pushed for moderate governance. <\/p>\n<p>US officials confirmed on Saturday that they were in direct contact with HTS and several other countries. Blinken said he signed off on a set of principles meant to guide Syria\u2019s transition to a peaceful, nonsectarian and inclusive country.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, it is unclear how other foreign powers will protect their interests in Syria since the shock collapse of al-Assad's regime. Russia, which has two military bases in the country, has not yet formally said what would happen with its forces based there. <\/p>\n<p>Turkish Defence Minister Ya\u015far G\u00fcler told local media that he didn't think Russia would leave, saying, \" They\u2019ll do everything they can to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>G\u00fcler added that Turkey, who has long had links with the rebels that overtook Damascus, had offered Russia help in communication with Syria's new leadership. <\/p>\n<p>Currently, the transitional administration in Damascus announced that schools and universities were to start classes again on Sunday as the country. Authorities led by HTS said they aimed to re-establish public services to bring the country to a sense of normalcy. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734339608,"updatedAt":1734348765,"publishedAt":1734344980,"firstPublishedAt":1734344980,"lastPublishedAt":1734344980,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/37\/02\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3f926479-2751-5d5f-a069-d3e17c241aa9-8913702.jpg","altText":"Israeli soldiers cross the security fence moving towards the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams.","caption":"Israeli soldiers cross the security fence moving towards the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2940,"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","title":"Tamsin Paternoster","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":157,"slug":"israel","urlSafeValue":"israel","title":"Israel","titleRaw":"Israel"},{"id":5412,"slug":"benjamin-netanyahu","urlSafeValue":"benjamin-netanyahu","title":"Benjamin Netanyahu","titleRaw":"Benjamin Netanyahu"},{"id":28396,"slug":"war-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"war-in-syria","title":"war in Syria","titleRaw":"war in Syria"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2704060},{"id":2703836}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP ","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122009","80122011","80222009","80222011","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/16\/israeli-airstrikes-in-syria-most-violent-since-2012-monitor-says","lastModified":1734344980},{"id":2703678,"cid":8912502,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241215_NWSU_57281819","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA KURDS FEARS FOR FUTURE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power","titleListing2":"Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power","leadin":"One week after President Bashir al-Assad's regime was toppled the Kurdish region in the north is neither as calm nor as relieved as the rest of Syria.","summary":"One week after President Bashir al-Assad's regime was toppled the Kurdish region in the north is neither as calm nor as relieved as the rest of Syria.","keySentence":"","url":"syrias-kurds-fearful-of-the-future-after-islamist-rebels-seized-power","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/15\/syrias-kurds-fearful-of-the-future-after-islamist-rebels-seized-power","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The north of Syria is the homeland of Syria's Kurds, the country's largest ethnic minority, who are also the US's closest ally in the country. For them, the struggle for a new order is entering a potentially even more challenging phase.\n\nOver the course of Syria\u2019s civil war, Kurdish fighters have fended off an array of armed factions, partnered with the U.S. to rout the Islamic State group and carved out a largely autonomous region in the country\u2019s oil-rich east.\n\nBut the gains of the non-Arab Kurds are now at risk. The ascendance of the Sunni Arab rebels who overthrew Assad \u2014 with vital help from Turkey, a long-time foe of the Kurds \u2014 will make it hard for the Kurds to find a place in the new Syria and could prolong the conflict.\n\nThe jihadi rebels who rode into Damascus last weekend have made peaceful overtures to the Kurds. But the rebels violently drove Kurdish fighters out of the eastern city of Deir al-Zour days after government forces abandoned it.\n\nTo the north, a separate opposition faction backed by Turkey that has been battling the Kurds for years seized the town of Manbij. And Turkey carried out airstrikes on a Kurdish convoy it said was carrying heavy weapons looted from government arsenals.\n\nThe Kurds have long counted on U.S. aid in the face of such challenges. Around 900 American troops are in eastern Syria, where they partner with Kurdish forces to prevent an Islamic State resurgence. But the future of that mission will be thrown into doubt under president-elect Donald Trump, who has long been sceptical about U.S. involvement in Syria.\n\nAnd in the city of Qamishli, on the border with Turkey, few dare to think of either peace or a new beginning at the moment. \n\nA spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is led by Kurdish forces and has the backing of the US, said that since President Bashir al-Assad's regime fell Islamic State \"are now moving freely around the rest of Syria.\"\n\n\"There are hundreds of Islamic State (IS) fighters there, they have IS logos on their uniforms and shout IS battle cries, Siamand Ali told a camera crew from Gemany's ARD TV station earlier this week.\n\n\"In my view, the new rulers in Damascus share the same ideology as IS,\" he added.\n\nMeanwhile, one Kurdish man described the ongoing threat from Turkish forces.\n\n\"We have been experiencing these attacks for four years. Turkish drones pretending to attack military targets. But in reality, they hit many civilian targets. That scares all the inhabitants,\" Azad Ismael said.\n\nWho are the U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters in Syria?\n\nThe Kurds are among the largest stateless ethnic groups in the world, with some 30 million concentrated in a territory straddling Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. They are a minority in each country and have often suffered persecution, which has fuelled armed Kurdish uprisings.\n\nIn Syria, they carved out an autonomous enclave early in the civil war, never fully siding with the Assad government or the rebels seeking to topple him.\n\nWhen the Islamic State group seized a third of the country in 2014, Kurdish fighters \u2014 who are secular and include women in their ranks \u2014 proved their mettle in early battles against the extremists, earning support from the U.S.-led coalition.\n\nThey formed the SDF, which also includes Arab fighters, and drove the Islamic State group out of large areas of Syria with help from U.S.-led airstrikes and American special forces. In 2017, these Kurdish-led forces captured Raqqa, the capital of the extremists\u2019 self-styled caliphate.\n\nWhy is Turkey fighting the Kurds?\n\nTurkey has long viewed the SDF as an extension of the decades-old Kurdish insurgency within its own borders. It considers the main Kurdish faction a terrorist group on par with the Islamic State and has said it should have no presence in the new Syria.\n\nIn recent years, Turkey has trained and funded fighters known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), helping them wrest control of territory from the Kurds in northern Syria along the border with Turkey. These Turkish-backed fighters have portrayed themselves as part of the opposition against Assad, but analysts say they are largely driven by opportunism and hatred of the Kurds.\n\nThe Kurds have focused on battling the SNA in recent years. But the new leadership in Damascus, which also has longstanding ties to Turkey, could open another, much longer front.\n\nHow do the Syrian rebels view the Kurds?\n\nThe main rebel faction is led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former al-Qaida militant who cut ties with the group eight years ago and says he wants to build a new Syria free of dictatorship that will serve all its religious and ethnic communities.\n\nNawaf Khalil, head of the Germany-based Centre for Kurdish Studies, said the early signs were positive. He said the rebels steered clear of two SDF-controlled enclaves of Aleppo when they stormed the city two weeks ago at the start of their rapid advance across the country.\n\n\u201cIt is also positive that they did not speak negatively about the Syrian Democratic Forces,\u201d he said.\n\nIt remains to be seen if those sentiments will endure. After sweeping into Deir al-Zour this week, a fighter from al-Sharaa\u2019s group posted a video saying they would soon advance toward Raqqa and other areas of eastern Syria, raising the possibility of further clashes with the Kurds.\n\nThe rebels could still seek some kind of agreement with the Kurds to incorporate them into the post-Assad political order, but that would likely require accepting a degree of Kurdish autonomy in the east. It would also risk angering Turkey, which now appears to be the chief power broker in Syria.\n\nWill the Trump administration support the Kurds?\n\nThe top U.S. military commander for the Middle East, Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, met with SDF forces in Syria on Tuesday, in a sign of the Biden administration\u2019s commitment to the alliance post-Assad.\n\nBut things could change on Jan. 20.\n\nTrump has provided few details about his Middle East policy, aside from saying he wants to end the region\u2019s wars and keep the United States out of them.\n\nIn a social media post shortly before Assad was overthrown, Trump wrote that \u201cSyria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.\u201d\n\nDuring his previous term, in 2019, Trump abandoned the Kurds ahead of a Turkish incursion, casting it as the fulfilment of a campaign promise to end U.S. involvement in the region\u2019s \u201cendless wars.\u201d\n\nThe move prompted heavy criticism, including from prominent Republicans who accused him of betraying an ally. Trump backtracked weeks later, approving a wider mission to secure oil fields in the east. The troops remained where they were and the alliance endured.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The north of Syria is the homeland of Syria's Kurds, the country's largest ethnic minority, who are also the US's closest ally in the country. For them, the struggle for a new order is entering a potentially even more challenging phase.<\/p>\n<p>Over the course of Syria\u2019s civil war, Kurdish fighters have fended off an array of armed factions, partnered with the U.S. to rout the Islamic State group and carved out a largely autonomous region in the country\u2019s oil-rich east.<\/p>\n<p>But the gains of the non-Arab Kurds are now at risk. The ascendance of the Sunni Arab rebels who overthrew Assad \u2014 with vital help from Turkey, a long-time foe of the Kurds \u2014 will make it hard for the Kurds to find a place in the new Syria and could prolong the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>The jihadi rebels who rode into Damascus last weekend have made peaceful overtures to the Kurds. But the rebels violently drove Kurdish fighters out of the eastern city of Deir al-Zour days after government forces abandoned it.<\/p>\n<p>To the north, a separate opposition faction backed by Turkey that has been battling the Kurds for years seized the town of Manbij. And Turkey carried out airstrikes on a Kurdish convoy it said was carrying heavy weapons looted from government arsenals.<\/p>\n<p>The Kurds have long counted on U.S. aid in the face of such challenges. Around 900 American troops are in eastern Syria, where they partner with Kurdish forces to prevent an Islamic State resurgence. But the future of that mission will be thrown into doubt under president-elect Donald Trump, who has long been sceptical about U.S. involvement in Syria.<\/p>\n<p>And in the city of Qamishli, on the border with Turkey, few dare to think of either peace or a new beginning at the moment. <\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is led by Kurdish forces and has the backing of the US, said that since President Bashir al-Assad's regime fell Islamic State \"are now moving freely around the rest of Syria.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"There are hundreds of Islamic State (IS) fighters there, they have IS logos on their uniforms and shout IS battle cries, Siamand Ali told a camera crew from Gemany's ARD TV station earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p>\"In my view, the new rulers in Damascus share the same ideology as IS,\" he added.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, one Kurdish man described the ongoing threat from Turkish forces.<\/p>\n<p>\"We have been experiencing these attacks for four years. Turkish drones pretending to attack military targets. But in reality, they hit many civilian targets. That scares all the inhabitants,\" Azad Ismael said.<\/p>\n<h2>Who are the U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters in Syria?<\/h2><p>The Kurds are among the largest stateless ethnic groups in the world, with some 30 million concentrated in a territory straddling Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. They are a minority in each country and have often suffered persecution, which has fuelled armed Kurdish uprisings.<\/p>\n<p>In Syria, they carved out an autonomous enclave early in the civil war, never fully siding with the Assad government or the rebels seeking to topple him.<\/p>\n<p>When the Islamic State group seized a third of the country in 2014, Kurdish fighters \u2014 who are secular and include women in their ranks \u2014 proved their mettle in early battles against the extremists, earning support from the U.S.-led coalition.<\/p>\n<p>They formed the SDF, which also includes Arab fighters, and drove the Islamic State group out of large areas of Syria with help from U.S.-led airstrikes and American special forces. In 2017, these Kurdish-led forces captured Raqqa, the capital of the extremists\u2019 self-styled caliphate.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is Turkey fighting the Kurds?<\/h2><p>Turkey has long viewed the SDF as an extension of the decades-old Kurdish insurgency within its own borders. It considers the main Kurdish faction a terrorist group on par with the Islamic State and has said it should have no presence in the new Syria.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, Turkey has trained and funded fighters known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), helping them wrest control of territory from the Kurds in northern Syria along the border with Turkey. These Turkish-backed fighters have portrayed themselves as part of the opposition against Assad, but analysts say they are largely driven by opportunism and hatred of the Kurds.<\/p>\n<p>The Kurds have focused on battling the SNA in recent years. But the new leadership in Damascus, which also has longstanding ties to Turkey, could open another, much longer front.<\/p>\n<h2>How do the Syrian rebels view the Kurds?<\/h2><p>The main rebel faction is led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former al-Qaida militant who cut ties with the group eight years ago and says he wants to build a new Syria free of dictatorship that will serve all its religious and ethnic communities.<\/p>\n<p>Nawaf Khalil, head of the Germany-based Centre for Kurdish Studies, said the early signs were positive. He said the rebels steered clear of two SDF-controlled enclaves of Aleppo when they stormed the city two weeks ago at the start of their rapid advance across the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is also positive that they did not speak negatively about the Syrian Democratic Forces,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>It remains to be seen if those sentiments will endure. After sweeping into Deir al-Zour this week, a fighter from al-Sharaa\u2019s group posted a video saying they would soon advance toward Raqqa and other areas of eastern Syria, raising the possibility of further clashes with the Kurds.<\/p>\n<p>The rebels could still seek some kind of agreement with the Kurds to incorporate them into the post-Assad political order, but that would likely require accepting a degree of Kurdish autonomy in the east. It would also risk angering Turkey, which now appears to be the chief power broker in Syria.<\/p>\n<h2>Will the Trump administration support the Kurds?<\/h2><p>The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East, Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, met with SDF forces in Syria on Tuesday, in a sign of the Biden administration\u2019s commitment to the alliance post-Assad.<\/p>\n<p>But things could change on Jan. 20.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has provided few details about his Middle East policy, aside from saying he wants to end the region\u2019s wars and keep the United States out of them.<\/p>\n<p>In a social media post shortly before Assad was overthrown, Trump wrote that \u201cSyria is a mess, but is not our friend, &amp; THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During his previous term, in 2019, Trump abandoned the Kurds ahead of a Turkish incursion, casting it as the fulfilment of a campaign promise to end U.S. involvement in the region\u2019s \u201cendless wars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The move prompted heavy criticism, including from prominent Republicans who accused him of betraying an ally. Trump backtracked weeks later, approving a wider mission to secure oil fields in the east. The troops remained where they were and the alliance endured.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734260561,"updatedAt":1734275885,"publishedAt":1734265434,"firstPublishedAt":1734265434,"lastPublishedAt":1734265434,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/25\/02\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6ab2c808-139b-56a5-ab18-2a971d59f13a-8912502.jpg","altText":"FILE - July 22, 2017, Arab and Kurdish fighters with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), gather on a pickup as they move to the front line against Islamic State","caption":"FILE - July 22, 2017, Arab and Kurdish fighters with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), gather on a pickup as they move to the front line against Islamic State","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Hussein Malla\/Copyright 2017 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":687}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":1074,"urlSafeValue":"bellamy","title":"Daniel Bellamy","twitter":"danbel"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":14028,"slug":"kurds-in-syria","urlSafeValue":"kurds-in-syria","title":"Kurds in Syria","titleRaw":"Kurds in Syria"},{"id":8155,"slug":"syria","urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","titleRaw":"Syria"},{"id":11808,"slug":"islamic-state-jihadist-group","urlSafeValue":"islamic-state-jihadist-group","title":"Islamic State Jihadist Group","titleRaw":"Islamic State Jihadist Group"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2703632}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"P_pEABIcHOI","dailymotionId":"x9au57g"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/15\/en\/241215_NWSU_57281819_57281855_77000_161106_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":77000,"filesizeBytes":10211143,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/24\/12\/15\/en\/241215_NWSU_57281819_57281855_77000_161106_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":77000,"filesizeBytes":14988615,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":268,"urlSafeValue":"syria","title":"Syria","url":"\/news\/asia\/syria"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122011","80222011","84111001","84112005","84181001","84182008","84211001","84212004"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_islam","society","society_ethnic_specific","terrorism_high_and_medium_risk","terrorism_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2024\/12\/15\/syrias-kurds-fearful-of-the-future-after-islamist-rebels-seized-power","lastModified":1734265434},{"id":2703598,"cid":8912392,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"241215_NWSU_57281377","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"SYRIA ONE WEEK LATER","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Damascus is surprisingly calm a week after Syria's rebels took over","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Damascus is surprisingly calm a week after Syria's rebels took over","titleListing2":"Damascus is surprisingly calm a week after Syria's rebels took overr","leadin":"A week of transition has been surprisingly smooth: Reports of reprisals, revenge killings sectarian violence and looting have all been minimal.","summary":"A week of transition has been surprisingly smooth: Reports of reprisals, revenge killings sectarian violence and looting have all been minimal.","keySentence":"","url":"damascus-is-surprisingly-calm-a-week-after-syrias-rebels-took-over","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2024\/12\/15\/damascus-is-surprisingly-calm-a-week-after-syrias-rebels-took-over","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Just a week after President Bashir al-Assad's regime was toppled by the Islamist HTS rebel group, people were going about their lives as usual in Syria's capital, Damascus, shopping and socialising - and with surprisingly few armed rebels patrolling the streets.\n\nAt Damascus\u2019 international airport, the new head of security \u2014 one of the rebels who marched across Syria to the capital \u2014 arrived with his team. The few maintenance workers who showed up for work huddled around Maj Hamza al-Ahmed, eager to learn what will happen next. \n\nThey quickly unloaded all the complaints they had been too afraid to express during the rule of President Bashar Assad, which now, inconceivably, is over.\n\nThey told the bearded fighter they were denied promotions and perks in favour of pro-Assad favourites, and that bosses threatened them with prison for working too slowly. They warned of hardcore Assad supporters among airport staff, ready to return whenever the facility reopens. \n\nAs Al-Ahmed tried to reassure them, Osama Najm, an engineer, announced: \u201cThis is the first time we talk.\u201d\n\nThis was the first week of Syria\u2019s transformation after Assad\u2019s unexpected fall.\n\nRebels, suddenly in charge, met a population bursting with emotions: excitement at new freedoms; grief over years of repression; and hopes, expectations and worries about the future. Some were overwhelmed to the point of tears. \n\nDespite the calm there are many ways it could go wrong. \n\nThe country is broken and isolated after five decades of Assad family rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners are traumatised by the brutalities they suffered, tens of thousands of detainees remain missing. The economy is wrecked, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high. Corruption seeps through daily life.\n\nBut in this moment of flux, many are ready to feel out the way ahead.\n\nAt the airport, al-Ahmed told the staffers: \u201cThe new path will have challenges, but that is why we have said Syria is for all and we all have to cooperate.\u201d\n\nThe rebels have so far said all the right things, Najm said. \u201cBut we will not be silent about anything wrong again.\u201d\n\nAt a torched police station, pictures of Assad were torn down and files destroyed after insurgents entered the city Dec. 8. All Assad-era police and security personnel have vanished.\n\nOn Saturday, the building was staffed by 10 men serving in the police force of the rebels\u2019 de facto \u201csalvation government,\u201d which for years governed the rebel enclave of Idlib in Syria's northwest.\n\nThe rebel policemen watch over the station, dealing with reports of petty thefts and street scuffles. One woman complains that her neighbours sabotaged her power supply. A policeman tells her to wait for courts to start operating again.\n\n\u201cIt will take a year to solve problems\u201d he mumbled.\n\nThe rebels sought to bring order in Damascus by replicating the structure of its governance in Idlib. But there is a problem of scale. One of the policemen estimates the number of rebel police at only around 4,000; half are based in Idlib and the rest are tasked with maintaining security in Damascus and elsewhere. Some experts estimate the insurgents' total fighting force at around 20,000. \n\nThe rebels and the public are still learning about each other\n\nThe fighters drive large SUVs and newer models of vehicles that are out of reach for most residents in Damascus, where they cost 10 times as much because of custom duties and bribes. The fighters carry Turkish lira, long forbidden in government-held areas, rather than the plunging Syrian pound.\n\nMost of the bearded fighters hail from conservative, provincial areas. Many are hard-line Islamists.\n\nThe main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced its al-Qaida past, and its leaders are working to reassure Syria\u2019s religious and ethnic communities that the future will be pluralist and tolerant.\n\nBut many Syrians remain suspicious. Some fighters sport ribbons with Islamist slogans on their uniforms and not all of them belong to HTS, the most organised group.\n\n\u201cThe people we see on the streets, they don\u2019t represent us,\u201d said Hani Zia, a Damascus resident from the southern city of Daraa, where the 2011 anti-Assad uprising began. He was concerned by reports of attacks on minorities and revenge killings.\n\n\u201cWe should be fearful,\u201d he said, adding that he worries some insurgents feel superior to other Syrians because of their years of fighting. \u201cWith all due respect to those who sacrificed, we all sacrificed.\u201d\n\nStill, fear is not prevalent in Damascus, where many insist they will no longer let themselves be oppressed. \n\nSome restaurants have resumed openly serving alcohol, others more discretely to test the mood.\n\nAt a sidewalk caf\u00e9 in the historic Old City's Christian quarter, men were drinking beer when a fighter patrol passed by. The men turned to each other, uncertain, but the fighters did nothing. When a man waving a gun harassed a liquor store elsewhere in the Old City, the rebel police arrested him, one policeman said.\n\nSalem Hajjo, a theatre teacher who participated in the 2011 protests, said he doesn't agree with the rebels' Islamist views, but is impressed at their experience in running their own affairs. And he expects to have a voice in the new Syria. \n\n\u201cWe have never been this at ease,\" he said. \"The fear is gone. The rest is up to us.\u201d\n\nOn the night after Assad\u2019s fall, gunmen roamed the streets, celebrating victory with deafening gunfire. Some security agency buildings were torched. People ransacked the airport's duty free, smashing all the bottles of liquor. The rebels blamed some of this on fleeing government loyalists. \n\nThe public stayed indoors, peeking out at the newcomers. Shops shut down.\n\nHayat Tahrir al-Sham moved to impose order, ordering a night-time curfew for three days. It banned celebratory gunfire and moved fighters to protect properties.\n\nAfter a day, people began to emerge.\n\nFor tens of thousands, their first destination was Assad\u2019s prisons, particularly Saydnaya on the capital\u2019s outskirts, to search for loved ones who disappeared years ago. Few have found any traces.\n\nIt was wrenching but also unifying. Rebels, some of them also searching, mingled with relatives of the missing in the dark halls of prisons that all had feared for years.\n\nDuring celebrations in the street, gunmen invited children to hop up on their armoured vehicles. Insurgents posed for photos with women, some with their hair uncovered. Pro-revolution songs blared from cars. Suddenly shops and walls everywhere are plastered with revolutionary flags and posters of activists killed by Assad\u2019s state.\n\nTV stations didn\u2019t miss a beat, flipping from praising Assad to playing revolutionary songs. State media aired the flurry of declarations issued by the new insurgent-led transitional government.\n\nThe new administration called on people to go back to work and urged Syrian refugees around the world to return to help rebuild. It announced plans to rehabilitate and vet the security forces to prevent the return of \u201cthose with blood on their hands.\u201d Fighters reassured airport staffers \u2014 many of them government loyalists \u2014 that their homes won\u2019t be attacked, one employee said. \n\nBut Syria's woes are far from being resolved.\n\nWhile produce prices plunged after Assad\u2019s fall, because merchants no longer needed to pay hefty customs fees and bribes, fuel distribution was badly disrupted, jacking up transportation costs and causing widespread and lengthy blackouts.\n\nOfficials say they want to reopen the airport as soon as possible and this week maintenance crews inspected a handful of planes on the tarmac. Cleaners removed trash, wrecked furniture and merchandise.\n\nOne cleaner, who identified himself only as Murad, said he earns the equivalent of 14 euros a month and has six children to feed, including one with a disability. He dreams of getting a mobile phone.\n\n\u201cWe need a long time to clean this up,\u201d he said. \n\n","htmlText":"<p>Just a week after President Bashir al-Assad's regime was toppled by the Islamist HTS rebel group, people were going about their lives as usual in Syria's capital, Damascus, shopping and socialising - and with surprisingly few armed rebels patrolling the streets.<\/p>\n<p>At Damascus\u2019 international airport, the new head of security \u2014 one of the rebels who marched across Syria to the capital \u2014 arrived with his team. The few maintenance workers who showed up for work huddled around Maj Hamza al-Ahmed, eager to learn what will happen next. <\/p>\n<p>They quickly unloaded all the complaints they had been too afraid to express during the rule of President Bashar Assad, which now, inconceivably, is over.<\/p>\n<p>They told the bearded fighter they were denied promotions and perks in favour of pro-Assad favourites, and that bosses threatened them with prison for working too slowly. They warned of hardcore Assad supporters among airport staff, ready to return whenever the facility reopens. <\/p>\n<p>As Al-Ahmed tried to reassure them, Osama Najm, an engineer, announced: \u201cThis is the first time we talk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This was the first week of Syria\u2019s transformation after Assad\u2019s unexpected fall.<\/p>\n<p>Rebels, suddenly in charge, met a population bursting with emotions: excitement at new freedoms; grief over years of repression; and hopes, expectations and worries about the future. Some were overwhelmed to the point of tears. <\/p>\n<p>Despite the calm there are many ways it could go wrong. <\/p>\n<p>The country is broken and isolated after five decades of Assad family rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners are traumatised by the brutalities they suffered, tens of thousands of detainees remain missing. The economy is wrecked, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high. Corruption seeps through daily life.<\/p>\n<p>But in this moment of flux, many are ready to feel out the way ahead.<\/p>\n<p>At the airport, al-Ahmed told the staffers: \u201cThe new path will have challenges, but that is why we have said Syria is for all and we all have to cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//23//92//808x539_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg/" alt=\"Airport staff work on the maintenance of an aircraft at the Damascus international airport Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo\/Ghaith Alsayed)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/384x256_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/640x427_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/750x500_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/828x552_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1080x720_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1200x800_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1920x1281_cmsv2_a5fa4d18-1c1c-5bb5-b884-2df38ff6f811-8912392.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Airport staff work on the maintenance of an aircraft at the Damascus international airport Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo\/Ghaith Alsayed)<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Ghaith Alsayed\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All right reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The rebels have so far said all the right things, Najm said. \u201cBut we will not be silent about anything wrong again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At a torched police station, pictures of Assad were torn down and files destroyed after insurgents entered the city Dec. 8. All Assad-era police and security personnel have vanished.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, the building was staffed by 10 men serving in the police force of the rebels\u2019 de facto \u201csalvation government,\u201d which for years governed the rebel enclave of Idlib in Syria's northwest.<\/p>\n<p>The rebel policemen watch over the station, dealing with reports of petty thefts and street scuffles. One woman complains that her neighbours sabotaged her power supply. A policeman tells her to wait for courts to start operating again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt will take a year to solve problems\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n<p>The rebels sought to bring order in Damascus by replicating the structure of its governance in Idlib. But there is a problem of scale. One of the policemen estimates the number of rebel police at only around 4,000; half are based in Idlib and the rest are tasked with maintaining security in Damascus and elsewhere. Some experts estimate the insurgents' total fighting force at around 20,000. <\/p>\n<h2>The rebels and the public are still learning about each other<\/h2><p>The fighters drive large SUVs and newer models of vehicles that are out of reach for most residents in Damascus, where they cost 10 times as much because of custom duties and bribes. The fighters carry Turkish lira, long forbidden in government-held areas, rather than the plunging Syrian pound.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the bearded fighters hail from conservative, provincial areas. Many are hard-line Islamists.<\/p>\n<p>The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced its al-Qaida past, and its leaders are working to reassure Syria\u2019s religious and ethnic communities that the future will be pluralist and tolerant.<\/p>\n<p>But many Syrians remain suspicious. Some fighters sport ribbons with Islamist slogans on their uniforms and not all of them belong to HTS, the most organised group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe people we see on the streets, they don\u2019t represent us,\u201d said Hani Zia, a Damascus resident from the southern city of Daraa, where the 2011 anti-Assad uprising began. He was concerned by reports of attacks on minorities and revenge killings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe should be fearful,\u201d he said, adding that he worries some insurgents feel superior to other Syrians because of their years of fighting. \u201cWith all due respect to those who sacrificed, we all sacrificed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, fear is not prevalent in Damascus, where many insist they will no longer let themselves be oppressed. <\/p>\n<p>Some restaurants have resumed openly serving alcohol, others more discretely to test the mood.<\/p>\n<p>At a sidewalk caf\u00e9 in the historic Old City's Christian quarter, men were drinking beer when a fighter patrol passed by. The men turned to each other, uncertain, but the fighters did nothing. When a man waving a gun harassed a liquor store elsewhere in the Old City, the rebel police arrested him, one policeman said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//91//23//92//808x539_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - An armed opposition fighter walks among costumers at the Al-Hamidiyeh market inside the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/384x256_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/640x427_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/750x500_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/828x552_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1080x720_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1200x800_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/1920x1281_cmsv2_80256dbb-6801-51d7-a172-b6933e0a9d73-8912392.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - An armed opposition fighter walks among costumers at the Al-Hamidiyeh market inside the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Hussein Malla\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Salem Hajjo, a theatre teacher who participated in the 2011 protests, said he doesn't agree with the rebels' Islamist views, but is impressed at their experience in running their own affairs. And he expects to have a voice in the new Syria. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have never been this at ease,\" he said. \"The fear is gone. The rest is up to us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the night after Assad\u2019s fall, gunmen roamed the streets, celebrating victory with deafening gunfire. Some security agency buildings were torched. People ransacked the airport's duty free, smashing all the bottles of liquor. The rebels blamed some of this on fleeing government loyalists. <\/p>\n<p>The public stayed indoors, peeking out at the newcomers. Shops shut down.<\/p>\n<p>Hayat Tahrir al-Sham moved to impose order, ordering a night-time curfew for three days. It banned celebratory gunfire and moved fighters to protect properties.<\/p>\n<p>After a day, people began to emerge.<\/p>\n<p>For tens of thousands, their first destination was Assad\u2019s prisons, particularly Saydnaya on the capital\u2019s outskirts, to search for loved ones who disappeared years ago. Few have found any traces.<\/p>\n<p>It was wrenching but also unifying. Rebels, some of them also searching, mingled with relatives of the missing in the dark halls of prisons that all had feared for years.<\/p>\n<p>During celebrations in the street, gunmen invited children to hop up on their armoured vehicles. Insurgents posed for photos with women, some with their hair uncovered. Pro-revolution songs blared from cars. Suddenly shops and walls everywhere are plastered with revolutionary flags and posters of activists killed by Assad\u2019s state.<\/p>\n<p>TV stations didn\u2019t miss a beat, flipping from praising Assad to playing revolutionary songs. State media aired the flurry of declarations issued by the new insurgent-led transitional government.<\/p>\n<p>The new administration called on people to go back to work and urged Syrian refugees around the world to return to help rebuild. It announced plans to rehabilitate and vet the security forces to prevent the return of \u201cthose with blood on their hands.\u201d Fighters reassured airport staffers \u2014 many of them government loyalists \u2014 that their homes won\u2019t be attacked, one employee said. <\/p>\n<p>But Syria's woes are far from being resolved.<\/p>\n<p>While produce prices plunged after Assad\u2019s fall, because merchants no longer needed to pay hefty customs fees and bribes, fuel distribution was badly disrupted, jacking up transportation costs and causing widespread and lengthy blackouts.<\/p>\n<p>Officials say they want to reopen the airport as soon as possible and this week maintenance crews inspected a handful of planes on the tarmac. Cleaners removed trash, wrecked furniture and merchandise.<\/p>\n<p>One cleaner, who identified himself only as Murad, said he earns the equivalent of 14 euros a month and has six children to feed, including one with a disability. He dreams of getting a mobile phone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need a long time to clean this up,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1734252949,"updatedAt":1734258309,"publishedAt":1734256069,"firstPublishedAt":1734256069,"lastPublishedAt":1734256069,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/91\/23\/92\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f5b0f1a8-57cc-5fe9-bcff-5d7af2026c6c-8912392.jpg","altText":"FILE - Opposition fighters sit in a restaurant at the Al-Hamidiyeh market inside the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo\/Hussein Malla)","caption":"FILE - Opposition fighters sit in a restaurant at the Al-Hamidiyeh market inside the old walled city of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo\/Hussein Malla)","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Hussein Malla\/Copyright 2023 The AP. 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