On December 8, last year, the rebels entered Damascus and the 50-year Ba’athist rule came to an end with the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The main rebel group was Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, accompanied by other Islamist groups, established a transitional governing system in Syria under the leadership of Ahmad al Shaara.
“On December 8, last year, the rebels entered Damascus and the 50-year Ba’athist rule came to an end with the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.”
The international community welcomed the development that finally, Syrians will witness peace after thirteen years of violence. However, the capture of power by Islamists and the subsequent violence, particularly in the minority regions, challenged the optimists of a sustainable peace. Therefore, a long-term peace demands a system of transitional justice and political pluralism by the authorities.
The Syrian civil war began in 2011, following an uprising during the Arab Spring in which the people demanded an inclusive government and reforms in the economic and social sectors. The regime responded with force, killing several of the protestors as a result, more took to the streets and the cycle continues until the uprising spread to other cities like Hama, Homs, and Damascus in the early months of 2012.
The country descended into a civil war when the protestors took arms first to defend themselves and then fought with regime forces. The sectarian dynamics of Syrian society soon came into play, and rebels formed to represent their respective religious and ethnic groups. The intervention of foreign states like Russia and Iran on the regime side and the other side, the Gulf States and the USA supported the rebels further exacerbated the violence in Syria. The civil war resulted in approximately 618,000 deaths and 14 million displaced internally and externally.
After the fall of the Ba’ath regime in Syria on December 8, 2024, a Sunni Islamist organization called Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) became a dominant force in Syria. Beginning November 27, 2024, HTS launched a swift offensive known as “Deterrence of Aggression” led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, nom de guerre Ahmed al-Shara, in response to the Assad regime’s bombardment of people in Idlib. Assad fled to Russia after HTS and its allies took control of major cities like Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus in ten days.
“The Islamists have established a transitional government for five years with al-Jolani as president.”
The Islamists have established a transitional government for five years with al-Jolani as president. The important key positions like defense, foreign, and Interior ministries are held by leading HTS figures. The de facto government calls for integrating all rebel groups under the defense ministry. The Western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have joined the transitional system, but its commander, Mazloum Abdi, questions the domination of HTS in the transitional setup.
In March this year, the first major clashes happened in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous in north-western Syria. The region is predominantly composed of Alawites, to which the former president, Bashar al-Assad, belongs. The fighting began on 6 March, when the pro-Assad forces began an ambush on the security personnel, killing 16 at the site. According to OCHR, in three days, at least 1,311 people have been killed as of Saturday evening – some 830 were civilians, 230 security personnel from various branches, and about 250 armed fighters.
The remnants of the previous regime refused to accept the HTS authority in Syria. Following the clashes, Al Shaara ordered the formation of “Supreme Committee for Civil Peace and an independent committee of judges and judges for independent investigations, but the efforts remain futile. July remained the deadliest month for minorities since the formation of the new government after the fall of the Assad regime.
The Bedouin tribes surrounding the Druze community in southern Syria, particularly in the city of Suweida. The clashes left more than 600 dead on both sides, and the conflict came to a halt when Israel intervened and hit government infrastructure in the capital, Damascus. The main reason for Israel’s response is that thousands of Druze have been recruited into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“In three days, at least 1,311 people have been killed as of Saturday evening, some 830 were civilians.”
The primary obstacles are a lack of trust between various sectarian groups, a poor institutional framework and administrative fragmentation, foreign interference and interests, the economic and social crisis, and the conversion of revolutionary legitimacy into an acceptable governing system. However, the path is difficult, yet an honest and inclusive effort can end the long cycle of recurring violence in Syria.
The foremost step is to take democratic initiatives, including a constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights and an independent judicial system. Moreover, the four-year transition period must be protective of minorities’ lives and livelihoods. Furthermore, to provide aid and accountability, the government must also grant independent fact-finding bodies and humanitarian organizations complete and unrestricted access. Finally, the establishment of an independent framework for civil society organizations as they are fundamental to the conflict resolution process and sustainable peace.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.
