Six Islamic fighters were killed and others wounded in clashes between Islamists who have taken control of Syria and supporters of the ousted President Bashar Assad’s government, as reported by a British-based war monitor. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the fighters were attempting to arrest a former official from Assad’s government, accused of issuing execution orders and arbitrary rulings against thousands of prisoners. The fighters belonged to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that orchestrated the offensive resulting in Assad’s removal earlier this month.
The transition in Syria following Assad’s departure has been relatively smooth, despite ongoing violence. The new ruling faction, rooted in fundamentalist Islamist ideology, has pledged to establish a pluralist system, but their plans for power-sharing remain unclear. Retaliatory killings have occurred, predominantly targeting members of the Alawite community, to which Assad belongs.
Protests and violence have erupted in various parts of Syria, with clashes between Alawites and Sunnis reported in Damascus and along the coast. HTS forces have suppressed demonstrations and imposed a curfew in response to the unrest. Sectarian tensions have resurfaced, fueled in part by incidents like the burning of an Alawite shrine captured in an online video.
As Syrians attempt to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the civil war, some displaced individuals are returning home to find their properties destroyed. In regions like Idlib, residents are working to restore a sense of normalcy amidst ongoing challenges. The interim authorities are cracking down on illegal activities, including confiscating drugs used by Assad’s forces.
Despite the challenges, Syrians are striving to move forward and rebuild their communities amid the lingering aftermath of years of conflict.
Reported from Damascus, Syria, and Alsayed from Idlib, Syria.
Follow AP’s Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria.
