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Syria has been freed from Russia and Iran, but outside forces still threaten its newfound freedom

Syria has been freed from Russia and Iran, but outside forces still threaten its newfound freedom
Robin Yassin-Kassab (Photo by Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images)

By: Robin Yassin-Kassab / The Guardian
Translation: Telegrafi.com

The liberation of Syria was a long-held hope, but it happened suddenly. Over the past few weeks, Syrians have experienced the full range of human emotions, with the exception of boredom. On the first two Fridays free from Assad, millions of revelers filled the streets cheering, singing and speaking the previously forbidden truths. There was a large presence of women, who had been less visible during the war years. Relatives are meeting again and easing each other's pain, while hundreds of thousands are returning from exile camps.

At the same time, millions more are finally coming to terms with the fact that their loved ones have been tortured to death. It now appears that most of the 130 missing in Bashar al-Assad's prisons (a minimal figure) are dead. Dozens of mass graves have already been discovered.


As they work hard to free themselves from the dead weight of one of the most horrific torture states in history, Syrians are looking to the future.

A key factor in the eventual downfall of the regime was the remarkable discipline and social intelligence shown by the rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Shami (HTS). When it became clear that neither Christians nor veiled women were being harassed in liberated Aleppo, that there was no looting, and that Shia cities that had harbored foreign militias were not being subjected to reprisal attacks, then tens of thousands of Assad's soldiers were felt safe enough to desert or surrender their arms.

However, some still have grave doubts about HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. He has tremendous charisma, which could ease the way to a new dictatorship, but so far, the signs are more hopeful. Sharaa is popular precisely for his qualities that do not coincide with dictatorship.

In fact, the main motivator for the moderation of HTS, since the beginning of the revolution in 2011, has been the need to be accepted by the complex, multicultural and unique Syrian society. Sharaa wouldn't be where he is today if he hadn't followed a pragmatic and conciliatory path, and he knows it. "Someone who clings rigidly, inflexibly, to certain ideas and principles," he told CNN, "cannot effectively lead societies or navigate complex conflicts."

So far, Sharaa seems intelligent enough to understand that neither he nor his political faction can govern Syria alone. HTS played a key role in the liberation, but it was not the only actor. Rebels from Daraa, rural Homs and Eastern Ghouta, as well as Druze militias in Suwaida, liberated themselves.

The HTS-led coalition has assured all sectarian and ethnic communities that their rights will be respected and has given directives that there should be no interference in women's clothing choices. (In Idlib, HTS stopped deploying a religious police years ago.) All rebel groups will soon disband in favor of a professional national army.

Mohammad al-Bashiri has been appointed prime minister of a transitional government until March 2025. Bashiri previously headed the "rescue government" in Idlib, which was linked to HTS but operated in a civilian, technocratic manner and had achieve considerable success in providing services.

Things look promising so far, but there is a need for greater involvement, especially in the process of drafting a new constitution. Inclusion here does not mean only symbolic participation or quotas, but a practical involvement that will ensure unity and stability by giving the main groups the sense that they have a role in the new order. Among these groups are the Alawites – from whom Assad and most of the old regime emerged – as well as the secularists. For now, both of these groups feel hurt, although they are cautiously optimistic.

The opposition coalition – which has been active for more than a decade and includes a range of factions, from the Muslim Brotherhood to nationalists and liberals – has prominent individuals who should be included in the new government. However, it is hampered by its lack of experience in governance, its lack of importance and its proximity to foreign powers, especially Turkey.

The biggest challenges at the moment are not internal. Syria has been liberated from Russia and Iran, but other occupations continue and are even expanding. Northeast Syria is engulfed in its own entanglements and the wars of others. Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) are in conflict. Turkish-funded militias, known for their criminal activities, have abused and killed civilians. Likewise, the US-backed and PKK-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) (and not "Kurds," as some commentators insist; Syrian Kurds are as politically diverse as any other group), have committed abuses. .

The new government will have to negotiate the weakening of these opposing forces. As we speak, the SDF is trying to stave off the Turkish occupation of Kobane by declaring the city a demilitarized zone. It is hoped that the core of the PKK will retreat to its base in Iraq's Qandil Mountains, that the Kurdish parties it banned will be able to operate again, and that the Kurds will flourish in a post-Arab Syria. Sharaa has already assured them that this will be the case.

An even more serious challenge is the hostility of the West. The EU and the US are not lifting sanctions on Syria, although the regime has fallen, which makes these "preventive measures" unprecedented. To make matters worse, Israel, armed and supported by the US, the UK and Germany, has occupied other Syrian territories (after taking the Golan Heights) and is bombing intelligence and military targets – apparently to destroyed evidence of cooperation with Assad.

This unprovoked attack, an attempt to leave the country vulnerable, is a shameful and thoughtless way to welcome the newly independent Syria. It is predicted that Syria will eventually manage to defend itself. It has already faced a host of regional and international imperialists.

The future will undoubtedly be influenced by hostile foreign powers, but the Syrian people will play the leading role in this drama. That's because on December 8, eternity ended, the statues of tyrants fell, and history began again. /Telegraph/

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