Clashes erupted in Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday between Islamist factions and supporters of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, resulting in the deaths of six Islamist fighters and several injuries, according to a war monitoring group based in the UK.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the fatalities occurred while fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group responsible for Assad’s recent ousting, attempted to apprehend a former government official charged with issuing execution orders and making arbitrary decisions impacting countless prisoners. This intervention follows the successful insurgency which led to Assad’s abrupt departure from power earlier this month.
Although the transition of power seems to have unfolded relatively smoothly, the aftermath raises questions regarding the governance structure, given that the groups now in charge are primarily motivated by fundamentalist Islamic doctrines. Their promises of establishing a more inclusive political system have yet to be clarified regarding implementation and the sharing of authority.
Following the fall of Assad, there have been numerous acts of retaliation; reports from activists indicate that a majority of the casualties among the local population belong to the Alawite community, a sect of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs. In Damascus, tensions escalated between Alawite and Sunni demonstrators, leading to exchanges of violence and gunfire, although thorough verification of the incident remains challenging.
Protests surfaced not only in the capital but also in coastal regions, including Homs and Hama, with many demonstrators demanding the release of former soldiers currently detained by HTS. The Syrian Observatory reported that in Homs, HTS forces clashed with protesters, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. In light of escalating unrest, HTS instituted a curfew from 6 PM to 8 AM.
The catalyzing factor for the Alawite protests appears to be an online video depicting the desecration of an Alawite shrine, which officials claimed was outdated and not related to current events.
Despite sporadic sectarian strife igniting since the fall of Assad, it has yet to escalate to the catastrophic levels anticipated following nearly 14 years of civil conflict that claimed around half a million lives. The war has fragmented the country, leading to millions becoming refugees and significant internal displacement.
In a move toward rebuilding, some forcibly displaced Syrians have begun to return this week, often discovering that their homes have been devastated. In particular, residents in the northwest region of Idlib demonstrated resilience, repairing businesses and covering broken windows in an effort to restore normalcy.
Idlib city and surrounding areas have predominantly been under HTS control, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Despite prior connections to al-Qaida, the region has faced continuous attacks from government forces.
For those like Hajjah Zakia Daemessaid, returning to their homes has brought mixed emotions. The 62-year-old expressed deep sorrow, stating, “My husband and I spent 43 years of hard work saving money to build our home, only to find that all of it has gone to waste.”
The atmosphere in Idlib is characterized by dust-swept streets, with people lingering idly and vehicles loaded with luggage driving past, as families navigate the challenging road to recovery.
In an effort to regain control, the new authorities in Damascus conducted a raid on warehouses, seizing banned substances including Captagon and cannabis that were previously utilized by Assad’s forces. Authorities reported incinerating one million Captagon pills and several hundred kilograms of cannabis.
