And next, Syria?

[countingtozero]

Thanks for all the updates zahir

 

[The39thStep]

Joshua Landis working his way through changes in the school curriculum


Ammar Abdulhamid

I caught up on this this morning, deeply disturbing.

 

[zahir]

Translated thread from Cedric Labrousse

I did not mention, at the time, the meeting that took place between the Chamber of Military Operations (the coalition led by HTS to bring down the regime from November 27, 2024) and the Syrian Democratic Forces a few days ago... With hindsight, let's look at this historic meeting in the Syrian context.

The meeting, and this is worth noting, did not take place in Damascus. But in the Dumayr airbase. Located northeast of Damascus, at the gates of the Syrian desert. Unlike all the meetings that have taken place between Ahmad al-Sharaa and the SNA, jihadist groups, foreign leaders, religious authorities of all faiths...

It was a US Army transport plane that brought SDF officials to Dumayr.

Nothing has leaked about the identity of the participants on both sides at this meeting. Even if it is possible that Ahmad al-Sharaa could have participated in person. No photos have been released for the moment... But we know what was said there.

What do we know about the discussions that took place?

They focused on several points, the three main ones being:

• What form of integration of the SDF within the new Syrian army?
• What form of place for the Kurdish-majority regions in the Syria of tomorrow?
• What sharing of revenues from the oil and gas sectors under the control of the SDF?

On these 3 points, divergences appeared on... the 3 points.

1) Indeed, the SDF, who were probably accompanied by political leaders from AANES, mentioned their acceptance of the idea of integrating the new Syrian army. But the disagreement was on the form.

The SDF wants specific and localized army divisions in the Kobane and Qamishli / Hasakah regions. HTS demands a complete dissolution of the SDF in the entire army.

2) The debate is open on the issue of the rights of the Kurdish minority. Ahmad al-Sharaa, for several months, has evolved enormously on the situation. And confirmed it recently. He is ready to recognize the cultural, linguistic and traditional specificities of the Kurds.

In particular, from what transpires, recognition and official learning of their language in schools in regions with a Kurdish majority.

But the AANES wants administrative autonomy within the future Syria. It does not necessarily demand a global federal structure. This time, it is a change in the discourse of the AANES executives. Confirming the positions of Mazloum Abdi and Saleh Muslim.

HTS has refused this principle, for the moment. But says it is open to other exchanges.

3) The most heated debate finally focused, surprisingly not on the two previous points, on the question... of revenues from fossil resources.

The AANES considers that the current autonomous region, which has become part of tomorrow's Syria, should keep half of the revenues from oil and gas resources.

The new authorities in Damascus, strangely enough, do not want all the revenues but demand at least 70% of its revenues. As in proportion, roughly, to the share of territories in Syria that they hold.

This is a stumbling block in this ongoing dialogue...


It is interesting to note that, through their own respective communication channels, the two interlocutors mentioned a "positive" meeting. And this despite tensions on all subjects.

I would like to point out that this rapprochement, even if it is not friendly but opportunistic but respectful, now dates back more than a month.

As early as the end of November, Saleh Muslim revealed that the PYD, a party close to the PKK and dominant within the AANES, had established contacts with HTS during the offensive on Aleppo that began on November 27, 2024.

And Mazloum Abdi himself, head of the SDF, had confirmed contacts with HTS. With agreements for the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, for the evacuation of the Kurdish populations of Afrin who were stuck in Tal Rifaat, and on respect for the border on the Euphrates.

 

[zahir]

Statement from the Autonomous Administration opposing the proposed changes to the school curriculum

ANHA

The Education Body of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria stated that the amendments made to educational and scientific curricula by the Minister of Education in the Syrian Interim Government, which have become mandatory, do not only aim to alter educational curricula but seek...

hawarnews.com

eta:

Syria's Education Ministry clarifies curriculum amendment decision - Enab Baladi

The Minister of Education in the caretaker government of Damascus, Nadhir al-Qadri, issued a clarification regarding the decision to amend […]

english.enabbaladi.net

FT report: https://archive.ph/Jwnrz

Most changes involved removing references to the regime of ousted president Bashar al-Assad and his late father Hafez, who between them ruled with an iron fist for five decades, such as photographs and mentions of the army and national anthem.

But authorities also alarmed many by removing references to pre-Islamic deities — and even the word “deities” itself — and scaling back criticism of the Ottoman Empire. Also omitted were the text for Syria’s citizenship law, a section on the evolution of vertebrates’ brains, and mention of Zenobia, a famed pre-Islamic queen of the ancient city Palmyra.

Critics feared the changes represent a slippery slope in which the Islamist rebel faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which dominates the new government, would seek to impose their religious worldview on what has long been one of the Middle East’s most secular countries.

 

[zahir]

Report from Sweida (or Suwayda - there's no agreed system for transliterating from Arabic script)

Joy and Trepidation Among Syria’s Druze

New Lines reports from Sweida, the home province of Sultan al-Atrash, with a long history of revolt against outsiders

newlinesmag.com

eta:

Suwayda to demand federalism if subjected to aggression: Druze commander

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The people of the southern Druze-majority Suwayda province will demand federalism in the face of aggression and for allowing Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters to enter, a Druze commander said on Wednesday, after HTS-linked fighters were denied access to the...

www.rudaw.net

A military convoy of HTS-linked fighters was forced to turn back to Damascus by local Druze militias on Wednesday and denied access to Suwayda province, with the militias citing a lack of prior coordination and demanding decentralized governance.

“If we are subjected to any aggression or anything that is imposed on us as a province, we will demand federalism,” Sheikh Bahaa al-Jamal, commander of the Druze operations in Suwayda, told Rudaw’s Dilbixwin Dara.

“We found that the time was inappropriate, and people were busy with New Year celebrations. They entered by trickery and in a malicious way without informing anyone and we reject this matter,” he said about their decision to turn back the HTS-linked fighters.

 

[zahir]

Leila Al-Shami on democracy and secularism in Syria's revolution

https://aljumhuriya.net/en/2025/01/02/united-not-homogenous/

Impassioned debates erupted over social media and in Syrian chat groups between supporters of secularism and supporters of a state utilizing an Islamic framework. A feeling of unease swept over me as revolutionaries argued amongst themselves. It’s much easier to be united when you are standing against something than when you must articulate what you are standing for. But then I realized that this was precisely the Syria that revolutionaries had been fighting for: a country where debates could be had together in the public sphere, sharing differing opinions, and listening to each other respectfully. The hard work of political co-construction has just begun.

 

[zahir]

Unconfirmed talk of sanctions being lifted

Joshua Landis

I am hearing that Syria sanctions will not be lifted tomorrow (Friday) but in a week or two. A lot of internal argument at NSC over when and how to exempt them. Whenever they are lifted, it will be good news. In a country awash with weapons and rent by vendettas, consolidating power will be challenging. Jump starting the whimpering economy will be key.

Update: @ibrahimhamidi writes that: "It will be announced tomorrow- Friday." I cannot find any mention of a sanctions exemption from the Biden administration. This would be groundbreaking news. Sanctions relief will be crucial to the success and stabilization of the new Syrian state.

Sanctions relief will be welcomed by almost all Syrians. They are a brutal tool that hurt the most vulnerable and poorest the hardest. I argued against sanctions from the beginning, but they undoubtedly did play a role in the failure of the Assad regime and collapse of the Syrian military. I did not think that they would lead to regime-change, only to greater deprivation and hardship for Syrians

https://archive.ph/hQyw8

 

[zahir]

Fear in Alawite areas

https://archive.ph/6163D

A sense of euphoria in much of Syria has been tempered by dread in areas like Khirbet al-Hammam, where most residents are Alawites, the Muslim sect Assad belongs to. As the country’s new Sunni Islamist rulers embark on a hunt for former government figures, Alawite districts are gripped by terror and confusion, as reports spread of killings, disappearances, beatings and sectarian harassment.

 

[hitmouse]

As a general recommendation, just had someone recommend The Fire These Times podcast, which is made by the From the Periphery collective:

The Fire These Times

Voices From the Periphery

thefirethesetimes.com

Our unique editorial team are deeply committed to weaving together radical Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Jewish, and Armenian perspectives from the periphery. Every week, listeners are invited to journey with Elia J. Ayoub, Daniel Voskoboynik, Dana El Kurd, Ayman Makarem, Leila Al-Shami, Karena Avedissian, Anna M, Aydın Yıldız, israa abdel fattah and our distinguished guests as they navigate a wide spectrum of topics.


Recent relevant episodes include:

TFTT Special: Roundtable on Syria

For episode 178, From the Periphery collective members Leila Al-Shami, Elia Ayoub, Karena Avedissian, and Ayman Makarem hosted a roundtable to discuss the latest developments in Syria and to provid…

thefirethesetimes.com

For episode 178, From the Periphery collective members Leila Al-Shami, Elia Ayoub, Karena Avedissian, and Ayman Makarem gathered together for a roundtable to discuss the latest developments in Syria and to provide a historical and political background to help understand the current moment. We discuss a broad range of topics starting with an overview of the what’s happened in the last week or so, including: the origins of the Syrian revolution, the counter-revolutionary war, the abuses and crimes of the Assad regime, foreign interventions and regional factors, descriptions of groups such as HTS (Hayat Tahrir al Sham) and SNA (Syria National Army), Kurdish movements and the concerns of ethnic/religious minorities, the racist tankie ‘hot take’ industry, and the connections between liberatory movements for Palestine and Syria. We cover a lot, but of course we couldn’t do everything justice.

The Golan Heights, Syria and Palestine’s Intertwined Liberations w/ Banah Ghadbian

In episode 180, Leila Al-Shami and Elia Ayoub discuss Dr. Banah Ghadbian’s article on the Golan Heights and its significance for Palestine and Syria’s liberation, emphasizing their inte…

thefirethesetimes.com

For episode 180, Leila Al-Shami and Elia Ayoub are joined by Dr Banah Ghadbian to talk about her piece “Give Us Our Land Back: The Golan Heights, Greenwashing, Syria and Palestine’s Intertwined Revolutions” published on Spectre Journal.

As the title suggests, we spoke of the importance of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in the liberation of both Palestine and Syria. This was recorded before the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria. Since then, Israel has already taken steps to occupy more of Syrian territory in the Golan Heights, making Banah’s arguments about how Syria and Palestine’s freedoms are intertwined even more pertinent. Leila also shares about the solidarity she experienced living in Gaza in the first couple of years of the Syrian revolution.

Also come with transcripts for people who'd prefer to read rather than listen.

 

[_Russ_]

Fear in Alawite areas

https://archive.ph/6163D

They are Islamic extremists, I know I keep saying it and its obvious they are but some seem to have lost sight of what this actually means in the 21st century. delving deep into the history of the area is enlightening yet earlier in the thread learned people here and elsewhere expressed the real possibility that this sort of thing wouldnt happen.
I thought that ludicrous at the time and still do.

 

[zahir]

There's a lot of obviously pro-Turkish propaganda on twitter. The "clash report" account has just been highlighted by the French foreign ministry for an invented claim that the French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot had said "We urge the Kurds (PKK/YPG/SDF) to disarm and integrate into political life. Terrorism in Syria will not be tolerated." This is fairly typical of the disinformation going around, on mainstream media as well as social media. The context is that the French and German foreign ministers were in Damascus today meeting al-Sharaa.

France Diplomacy

@clashreport : Our Minister has never declared that. This fake news was circulated by RT, a media that is prohibited in Europe for its disinformation operations.
France calls for an end of fighting in Northern Syria and a political solution that gives a role to our Kurdish partners of SDF, with whom we have fought ISIS, for the future of Syria.

Cedric Labrousse

This is not the statement made by French foreign minister. You're publicly lying @clashreport. He called on all forces, we repeat : all forces, to disarm and integrate political life. And he never mentioned PKK in his statement. Please, be professional.

Zagros Zagrosi

This account (@clashreport) was created during the illegal Turkish invasion of Syrian-Kurdish territory for propaganda purposes and is operated by former employees of the state-run Turkish news agency “Anadolu Ajansı.” Its goal is to promote the Turkish agenda, spread psychological warfare propaganda, and deliberately manipulate public opinion, as demonstrated in this example.

eta: various reports that Al Jazeera is sharing the same disinformation - unsurprisingly as Qatar is pretty much aligned with Turkey.

 

[zahir]

Translated thread from Cedric Labrousse on Turkey's occupation in northern Syria running into problems

In Manbij, Turkey's terrible disappointment.

It is a failure. While Turkey pushed its auxiliaries to seize Manbij and its region as early as December 11, these same auxiliaries are now incapable of leading and holding the region. Contested by the population and in retreat against the SDF for a week and a half...

Yesterday, January 2, 2025, was the worst day for Turkey's auxiliaries against the SDF in years. One of their attacks on the Tishreen dam resulted in the death of... nearly 35 of their fighters. Losses that they acknowledged. A disaster not seen since 2019...

This military disaster cannot mask another reality: the SDF seem to be able to act as they please throughout the Manbij region. As if the SNA had no control over the area.

And, de facto, and this despite the recommendations of the United States, the SDF once again controls the western bank of the Euphrates, at least as far as Abu Qalqal (here called Abu Qilqil).

On December 30, the SDF even pushed their advantage, via an action by the YAT (equivalent of the special forces within the YPG), to the point of daring to penetrate the eastern districts of Manbij...

A terrible setback for Turkey.

This inability of the SNA to hold an area, despite Turkish air cover and regular long-range artillery fire from the Turkish army from Turkey, is a first. Until then, the SNA managed, as best it could, to push the SDF back from the conquered areas (Jarablus and Bab in 2016, Afrin in 2018, Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn in 2019).

This inability is mainly due to a massive desertion within the SNA. Thousands of men fled the front line to return... home. The fall of the regime allowed these men to return to their towns and villages.

Considerable losses, rejection by the local population who cannot stand the thefts and looting committed by the gangs of Abu Amsha and Saif Abu Bakr, inability to hold the front...

The SNA is accumulating failures and difficulties.

What will Turkey do in such a context? That is the whole question that arises.

And this chaos continues to grow. As early as December 17, 2024, notables from the city of Ras al-Ayn (Serekanye), occupied by Turkish auxiliaries and Turkish soldiers since 2019, demanded that Turkey firmly hold these groups.

And, on January 2, 2025, in this same city, attacks between SNA gangs took place one after another...

This general chaos therefore begins, in addition to Manbij, and while desertions multiply in the SNA gangs, to contaminate the other regions occupied by the Turkish army. A position that will quickly become unmanageable for the MIT (Turkish intelligence service, at the forefront in the management of the region).

eta: Turkish airstrikes

Since the end of the afternoon, and especially this evening of January 3, 2025, Turkey, faced with the successive defeats of its auxiliaries, is forced to intervene with its aviation and long-range artillery.

No less than 11 strikes on a vast area extending from the Tishrin dam to the city of Tabqa via Maskanah and Dayr Hafir.

 

[PTK]

I hear that the new regime in Syria will ban the teaching of e
Evolution, and the Big Bang theory. I wonder how they explain the appendix and the cosmic microwave background radiation?

 

[zahir]

video - march in support of Kobani in Suruç on the other side of the Turkish border.

video - march for Rojava yesterday in Nusaybin, just across the border from Qamishli.

 

[zahir]

From the Tekoşîna Anarşist war updates

We start 2025 with many things going on. January will be a challenging month, with a race of different actors to strengthen their positions, both in the military field as well as in diplomatic influence. Al-Sharaa is putting his HTS trusted circles in key positions in the goverment. You can read some of their (newly collected) biographies on wikipedia, partly documenting their past activities as “brave jihadist fighters” of al-Nusra. How much they are just playing a theater for western audiences, or how much they really moderated themselves in exchange for power in a Nation-State, is something that will be more clear in the next months.

The statements of an insurgent “popular resistance movement”, with a certain iranian flavour and with russian fringe media echoing it, can contribute to new waves of instability if they come backed up with actions. The druze community in the south also seems unwilling to cooperate with HTS transitional government, contributing to a mosaic of actors that question HTS’ proclaimed power. Meanwhile, many people in Syria’s western cities are going out to the streets, fixing roads and painting murals, reinforcing bonds of solidarity and mutual aid among neighbors. This networks of civic organizing can easily flourish in local committees and popular councils, as they already did in the early years of the Syrian revolution. How much HTS government will give space to these local initiatives, and how much these grassroots movements will confront the authoritarian steps of HTS, is something that will be a determinant for the future of Syria.

The press statement of the ‘joint forces’ leaving the SNA coalition is an important step, moving towards a generalized meltdown of the Turkish proxy forces. It is not clear how much it is an open defection or maybe a ‘cover’ operation of Turkish intelligence, aiming to ‘infiltrate’ some of their trusted agents in the new Syrian Army. Still, together with many local reports of groups and fighters defecting to go back home, plus the big amount of losses that the resistance of SDF is inflicting against their attacks, all this is making SNA more an more unable to hold their ground. How much Turkey will try to keep SNA together or will try to invade directly if things don’t play as they want remains still to be seen.

On the other side, the ongoing talks to integrate SDF in that same new Syrian Army are an uncomfortable but necessary step, in order to build relations with the transitional government and avoid being outmanuvered by Turkey. For now, they seem similar of nature to the negotiations with the Assad regime that were held in the past. SDF never reached any agreement with the regime that wouldnt compromise their integrity and values, and the same is true for the new negotiations with HTS. Negotiations of this kind are diplomatic games, a projection of power of the different actors. If the balance of power changes, negotiations can be pushed in a new direction, with the stronger imposing their will and the other having to accept a compromise. Therefore the most plausible scenario is that those negotiations will get stalled, waiting to solve the differences on the battle field.

 

[zahir]

Translated thread from Cedric Labrousse - continuing Turkish airstrikes

Very violent fighting is underway with an unprecedented engagement of the Turkish armed forces since the beginning of December 11 in the Manbij area. After weeks of defeats and retreats of its auxiliaries, the Turkish air force and artillery are investing as never before to cover the SNA in an attempt to return to the Euphrates.

Air strikes, engagement of Bayraktar drones, heavy artillery fire from Turkey...

This massive bombing campaign comes after the SDF took back a large part of the eastern Manbij countryside since December 25.

This intervention, in an area normally already under the control of the SNA, clearly demonstrates the latter's failure to hold the region. A failure that these same forces, including several Turkmen groups, have acknowledged in recent days.

The SDF are responding from the Kobane region with rocket fire on the SNA positions.

The SNA forces, completely disorganized and without any real serious coordination, have retaken some villages, but without reaching the Euphrates, and this despite the massive air and artillery engagement of Turkey. In particular the villages of Sakawiyah and Jdidah Faras. Very violent fighting is taking place between Qunaqabli and Gharreh Sagirah.

The subject will therefore arise again: the SNA is far too weak to hold, mainly since the massive desertions that have affected its ranks, the area without Turkey intervening regularly.

Either Turkey invades the area with ground troops, as is the case between Afrin and Jarablus. Or HTS will enter the area. But this situation of SNA incapacity cannot continue like this continuously, even from the point of view of Turkey's interest...

 

[zahir]

Displaced people returning to SNA controlled Afrin

Tens of thousands return to Afrin while fear of abuses keeps others away

ERBIL — Omar Jamil (a pseudonym), 35, returned home with his wife, parents and five children on December 4 to his village in the Sherawa area of Syria’s northwestern Afrin countryside. He had been gone for around seven years, displaced in a neighboring village as his home, on the line of contact...

syriadirect.org

 

[zahir]

Another interview with Tekoşîna Anarşist

Interview with Tekoşina Anarşist from the Federation of Anarchism Era | Têkoşîna Anarşîst

tekosinaanarsist.noblogs.org

 

[zahir]

Videos surfacing from the time of Jabhat al-Nusra. I haven't watched the videos and I'm not suggesting that anyone should watch them.

Rami Jarrah

Syria's Interim Justice Minister Shadi Al-Waisi, is seen sentencing/overseeing death penalty of women for adultery/prostitution, as a part of Al Nusra Front's application of Sharia law back in January 2015 in areas the front controlled in Idlib.

- The first video was filmed in Hafsarja in Idlib, where Al-Waisi stands above the woman sentencing her to death.

- The second video was filmed a week earlier in Ma'arit Misrin of Idlib, where Al-Waisi overseas the execution, and is seen speaking before the executioner carries out the punishment, then covers the woman after she has been executed.

Will such punitive policies be considered in the revision of Syria's constitution, or will Al-Shara'a ensure that such outdated and medieval acts are entirely excluded from discussions about the future of Syria's judicial system, even if a segment of Syrian society supports them?

Defining the boundaries of discussion for drafting a new Syrian constitution is critical; it is insufficient to simply state that "the Syrian constitution will decide." as if the boundaries of discussion will not have an effect over the final outcome. The topics brought to the table reflect the policies likely to emerge, making it essential to address such matters directly.If Al-Shara'a opposes punitive measures of this nature, he needs to signal this to the hardline islamists in Syria who aspire for it. Starting by removing the Justice Minister from his position and any other members of his cabinet who represent this ideology.

Thread by @jenanmoussa on Thread Reader App

@jenanmoussa: 1/ Confirmed: Syria's current interim Minister of Justice, Shadi Al-Wais, appears in 2 videos from 2015 in which he oversees the public executions of two women accused of prostitution. The face of the ...…

threadreaderapp.com

 

[teqniq]

What is says on the tin. Interesting article. I wish them well.

‘This revolution is just getting started’: an encounter with the left in Damascus<!-- --> | <!-- -->Red Flag

It’s early days, but some have already begun organising against the new Syrian government, including groups of workers and sections of the old left.

redflag.org.au

 

[teqniq]

This is worth a read too:

‘We’ve proved we can do anything’: the Syrian women who want a say in running the country

Women’s rights groups have been active throughout the years of war and turmoil Syria – and now they are calling on the new regime to recognise their worth

www.theguardian.com

 

[zahir]

What is says on the tin. Interesting article. I wish them well.

‘This revolution is just getting started’: an encounter with the left in Damascus<!-- --> | <!-- -->Red Flag

It’s early days, but some have already begun organising against the new Syrian government, including groups of workers and sections of the old left.

redflag.org.au

A follow up article

In Damascus, leftists continue to organise<!-- --> | <!-- -->Red Flag

Red Flag’s Omar Hassan, a longstanding supporter of the Syrian revolution and a Palestine solidarity activist, is in Syria to report on the situation after the fall of Bahar Al-Assad’s dictatorship.

redflag.org.au

Archived version: https://archive.ph/dWR7F

Lines are quickly being drawn between supporters and opponents of the new government. For now, its critics are mostly on the back foot, responding to specific incidents and policies rather than setting the agenda. They’re racing to establish institutions and spaces that can allow them to think, organise and resist collectively.

eta: The Revolutionary Left Current mentioned in the article is part of the same international grouping as the SWP.

website (in Arabic): https://revoleftsyria.org

 

[teqniq]

A follow up article

In Damascus, leftists continue to organise<!-- --> | <!-- -->Red Flag

Red Flag’s Omar Hassan, a longstanding supporter of the Syrian revolution and a Palestine solidarity activist, is in Syria to report on the situation after the fall of Bahar Al-Assad’s dictatorship.

redflag.org.au

Archived version: https://archive.ph/dWR7F

With this quote in mind I saw this a few days ago (unrolled thread):

Thread by @GregoryPWaters on Thread Reader App

@GregoryPWaters: Yesterday two Alawite brothers were murdered in an armed robbery of their house in #Latakia. The intruders claimed they were part of HTS. Local leaders called on HTS to take revenge & create joint c...…

threadreaderapp.com

 

[zahir]

The impressions of a Syrian American doctor on his first visit back since the departure of Assad.

Dr. Zahour Sahloul

During my first visit to Syria after the liberation and the fall of the oppressive regime, which included Damascus, Nabek, Homs, and Aleppo, I met dozens of Syrians from various regions, orientations, backgrounds, and specialties. I encountered influencers, journalists, new decision-makers, heads of associations, hospitals, civil centers, mosques, churches, ministries, business owners, doctors, and those returning from refugee countries, as well as those thinking about returning. I formed a general idea about the concerns of the people and the priorities of the current phase, which can be summarized as follows:

1. There is overwhelming joy among all sectors of the Syrian people about the fall of the oppressive regime and the end of injustice, repression, and darkness.

2. There is cautious optimism about the future and what it may bring to the country.

3. There is a general sense of security, especially in the cities, with a feeling of safety for all people in every area, despite some violations and crimes from certain groups. Roaming in Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo late into the night was safe for both men and women. Armed presence is minimal, and the armed individuals from the security or committees are very kind and smiling, showing little interest in things. The roads between the cities are good, fast, and safe, with no military presence or checkpoints. Occasionally, there are tanks or military vehicles left by the previous regime, but they are gradually being removed. Some tanks in the cities have been transformed into vehicles for selling fruits and vegetables.

4. The markets are unusually full, as are the roads, with traffic congestion in city centers, and there is a revival of restaurants and shops due to increased public confidence in the future, the low prices of some goods and clothing, expectations of salary increases, and the return of a large number of people from Idlib with higher incomes and some refugees and expatriates returning.

5. Celebrations still fill the cities, and the national flag is everywhere, while most symbols of the previous regime have been removed. The names of squares, schools, and hospitals bearing symbols of the oppressive regime have been replaced with new, general names or names that express the symbols of the revolution.

6. Christmas and New Year's celebrations are ongoing, and Christmas decorations are evident, even more than I recall before the revolution. Mosques are full, and the Friday sermon I attended was about civil peace, the necessity of not seeking revenge, and the need to hold criminals accountable.

7. There is severe poverty, and the current priorities are to increase wages, ensure affordable bread, provide basic services, especially electricity, gas, transportation, and supply essential materials. There is significant inflation compared to the past, requiring huge amounts of Syrian currency to purchase what is needed. Credit cards are not used in most places, but most places accept dollars.

8. There are enormous needs in all areas and basic sectors such as housing, education, health, and the economy, which will require many years and the concerted efforts of all parties to revive and rebuild them.

9. Everyone expects the current government to provide solutions quickly, and there is apprehension among some groups about what the future may hold.

10. There is great enthusiasm for following news about the new leadership and the messages they send, with significant debate about the political situation and where things will lead. Most people are optimistic but cautiously so. In general, there is popularity for Ahmad Al-Shara and the messages he directs to a majority of the people, who are still in shock from the rapid and peaceful transition and feel grateful to the committee and its leader. However, they are still exploring Al-Shara's personality and ability to lead the state in this phase, transitioning from leading Idlib to leading Syria. There are positive aspects, such as messages focusing on Syrian unity, maintaining security, representing all parties, and the new leadership's responsiveness to popular pressures, but there are negative aspects related to the haste of some decisions, such as changing curricula and the interim government representing only one segment of society. However, it is still too early to judge the overall direction.

11. There are many rumors and misleading news, and there is no regular communication from the new leadership with the community to refute these misleading ideas. There are no press conferences from the new leadership, as is often the case in significant changes like this.

12. There is anticipation for trials to hold accountable the criminals from the desperate regime whose hands are stained with blood. Transitional justice is one of the most important priorities that must be addressed or clarified to the people, and decision-makers need to discuss its mechanisms so that people can feel justice and security, ensuring civil peace. As long as transitional justice is delayed, violations and retributions will continue, and sectarianism may increase or spread if the issue of justice is not addressed wisely, methodically, and transparently.

13. There is a new feeling among the people that the country has returned to them and that they can contribute to building and beautifying it and participating in decision-making. Volunteer youth groups have mobilized to clean neighborhoods, streets, and markets without any intervention or directives. The revival of civil society and its continuity are among the most significant positive developments I have noticed, which will push the country towards building humanity and achieving justice and equality.

 

[zahir]

Statement by various Syrian leftist groups

بيان سياسي: نحو عدالة انتقالية وحوار شامل لإنقاذ الوطن | ✪ الخط الأمامي

(لا للعنف، لا للطائفية، لا للتدخل الخارجي)

revoleftsyria.org

Statement

Political statement: Toward Transitional Justice and a Comprehensive Dialogue to Save the Nation
(No Violence, No Sectarianism, No Foreign Intervention)

To the free people of the country:

In light of the recent events taking place in the country, national and democratic forces express their deep concern over the serious violations committed by the new de facto authorities under the pretext of pursuing the remnants of the old regime. The systematic targeting of unarmed civilians is a blatant violation of human rights and can be characterized as mass reprisals that cannot be tolerated. Although the General Command denies responsibility for these crimes, their recurrence and frequency clearly indicate collusion or deliberate negligence, providing an opportunity for former regime figures to exploit, threatening the country’s stability and future.

We strongly condemn the sectarian violations committed under the pretext of “pursuing the remnants,” as this pretext has become a means to intimidate society and divide it along sectarian and ethnic lines. Such policies are reminiscent of the former regime, which exploited divisions to consolidate its tyrannical rule.

In this context, we emphasize the following:

Immediate cessation of violence and fair accountability for those responsible: All forms of violence and violations against civilians must end immediately, and all those involved in these crimes must be brought to justice, while ensuring fair trials through an independent judiciary.

Establish an independent national human rights body to monitor violations: There is a need to establish an independent body, similar to those for military operations, tasked with monitoring and documenting all violations against civilians and pursuing legal accountability for those found to be involved. This body should be impartial, transparent, and empowered.

Warning against symbols of the former regime taking advantage of the current events: We strongly caution against attempts by former regime figures to exploit these events to implicate civilians in violence and chaos, in the hope of escaping the inevitable punishments. These attempts only aim to protect their personal interests, at the expense of the security and stability of the country.

Rejecting the absence of political parties, trade unions and civil society organizations: Excluding these forces from national dialogues and reducing them to spiritual leaders only represents a serious deviation from the path of democratic transition and reproduces the former regime’s model of sectarian representation.

Rejecting the rehabilitation of social symbols of the former regime: We reject any attempts to reintegrate or whitewash the symbols of the former regime who were part of the machine of repression and corruption, emphasizing the need to build a new homeland that includes those whose hands are not stained with the blood of Syrians from any party.

Include women and youth forces in national dialogues: The success of the transition requires real representation of all segments of society, with an emphasis on the role of women and youth as the forces most affected and most capable of driving change.

Warning against slipping into civil war: The policies of repression and marginalization may push the country towards a new civil war, but the people’s patience and national interest is the last chance to correct the course.

We call on all national and popular forces to rise to the level of responsibility and work to protect the country from foreign interference and catastrophic scenarios. The next stage requires everyone to come together and put the interest of the country first and foremost. We also call on Syrians to organize into political movements through which they express their will and work towards transitional justice and a comprehensive dialogue to save the country.

The signatories:
Communist Labor Party – Outside Organization, Revolutionary Left Current in Syria, Revolutionary Action League, Democratic Labor Movement, Dar Association for Victims of Forced Displacement.

 

[zahir]

Statement on women's freedom

بيان: حرية المجتمع من حرية النساء | ✪ الخط الأمامي

تثير التصريحات العديدة لقيادات في إدارة العمليات العسكرية استنكاراً واسعاً في أوساط الحركات النسوية السورية، ومنظمات المجتمع المدني, والقوى الديمقراطية

revoleftsyria.org

Society’s freedom is women’s freedom

Numerous statements made by leaders in the military operations management raise widespread condemnation among Syrian feminist movements, civil society organizations, democratic and leftist forces in Syria, the region and the world, and reinforce their fears about the seriousness of the democratic transition process, as these statements reflect the intention of some to absent the prominent and necessary role of Syrian women in participating in the public space and in all aspects of political action and in building a democratic Syria for all its sons and daughters, in any position:

We emphasize that the issue of women’s rights is not just a basic rights issue, but a political issue that determines the nature of governance, and it is no secret to anyone that working for women’s rights is working for the realization of democracy, freedom and equality.

We call on all living Syrian forces, including civil society organizations, political parties and political groups, to emphasize the guarantee of women’s rights and their active participation in the future Syria, in accordance with the following parameters:

Syria is an independent state with a democratic system and sovereignty over all its territories that fosters political and partisan pluralism and the circulation of power.

Preparing a draft constitution for the country that guarantees public and individual freedoms and guarantees all the rights of full and equal citizenship, ensuring full gender equality and based on the International Bill of Human Rights and its supremacy over national laws.

Ensure women’s participation in all aspects of the political process, and in all current or transitional institutions by a percentage of not less than thirty percent, up to parity, as a tool to solidify women’s representation.

Criminalize violence and discrimination against women and repeal all discriminatory laws against them.

Release public freedoms, guarantee freedom of opinion and expression, and combat hate speech and discrimination.

Issue a new law that guarantees the freedom of formation and operation of civil society organizations, including organizations that defend women’s rights.

Ensure full equality in wages between men and women and link those wages to the price rate.

Ensuring that women are not excluded requires unifying the feminist agenda in demanding the active participation of women by women’s groups.

19/12/2024

The signatories:
Communist Labor Party – Overseas Organization
Revolutionary Action League
Revolutionary Left Current
Amarji _ Syrian Democracy Committees

 

[zahir]

Druze forces rejecting Islamic rule and unwilling to disarm

Druze commander rejects Islamic rule in Syria

The Druze reject Islamic rule and prefer a decentralized government in Syria, a commander from the minority group said on Sunday.

www.rudaw.net

“Religious and Islamic rule has only led the country and its people to war and conflict. This is completely rejected by us,” Sheikh Marwan al-Rizq, a commander in the Suwayda Operations Room told Rudaw.

“Every Syrian is our relative. We do not distinguish between Arabs, Assyrians, Christians, Islam, and Shiites. The idea of majority and minority in Syria was imported by the occupier and we reject it. Syrians are friends of all communities,” he added.

In Suwayda, Syria’s southern city that is home to a large Druze community, many people think a decentralized government is the best way to guarantee their rights and those of other minorities across the country.

The people of Suwayda and their leaders have said they prefer a secular, democratic state with the powers separated among different regions of Syria.

Druze militias on Wednesday forced a military convoy linked to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to return to Damascus without entering Suwayda province.

 

[zahir]

Alawite areas on the coast

Gregory Waters

On January 1 someone burned an Alawi shrine in Safsafa Tartous

Two days later the Military Operations Department sent a large convoy to the city to begin a combing campaign

Amar Mustafa

Theres been several instances of this which is concerning. Spoke to family in Tartous, they've said new authority forces have mostly avoided targeting civilians and have been cooperative. Locals are glad to see shabiha, mukhabarat, etc. are being arrested and held accountable.

Under Assad, there was a lot of lawlessness - looting, kidnapping, etc. This seems to be ongoing which is to be expected with some trying to exploit the change in the country. They're relieved its being addressed.

But they're worried that given a disproportionate number of Alawis were in the military, they fear that this could turn into collective punishment & further crackdown. This, on top of local gangs & individuals pretending to be affiliated with HTS who have targeted the community.

The overtly sectarian statements in some videos are not reassuring, but local community leaders are cooperating with the new authority, which is a good sign. I hope things calm down soon, for everyone's sake. People want reassurance and security.

This is my family's experience so far, & it seems that parts of the country have different experiences. The situation in Homs is awful. I know a guy who was beaten up for being Alawi. His eye is so swollen he can't see. I fear there's a lot more going on in Homs than what's said.

 

[zahir]

Limited sanctions relief from the US

Thread by @ejbeals on Thread Reader App

@ejbeals: Alright, wading in on Syria sanctions. This, from the US, is very welcome. Doesn’t go far enough, but it’s a good start that should help with issues such as the critical lack of gas, and the...…

threadreaderapp.com

 

[zahir]

Article by Joseph Daher

The Threats ahead of a Democratic and Progressive Syria | SyriaUntold | حكاية ما انحكت

syriauntold.com

Is the Egyptian coup model possible in Syria? Are the old regime and its remnants the main threat to Syria? Or is the main threat today that HTS and the regional and international forces supporting it are seeking to impose a new authoritarianism? In this extensive article, Joseph Daher answers these questions by first analysing the threat posed by the remnants of the old regime and then analysing HTS's policy to consolidate its power over the new Syria.