Charles Lister, Paul Salem, Fatemeh Aman, Meliha Benli Altunışık, Paul Scham & Brian Katulis
At long last, Syrians are free of Assad regime rule. After 54 years, the iron grip that Hafez and then Bashar had built based upon fear melted away and a glimmer of light appeared at the end of the tunnel as regime control disintegrated in the north and then the south. The speed with which the collapse took place spoke volumes about the extent to which the regime had decayed from within, its security apparatus fragmented, and any prior ties of loyalty frayed by 14 years of debilitating conflict and humanitarian and economic collapse.
In the very early days of this astonishing development, Syria is witnessing a remarkable degree of societal unity. From inter-religious dialogues in Latakia and Tartus to localized reconciliation deals between the leading rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Christian, Ismaili, Kurdish, and Alawite bodies, the euphoria resulting from Syria’s sudden freedom from Assad is translating into a kind of solidarity that would have been unimaginable just weeks ago.
However, this is the honeymoon period for Syria. A huge challenge lies ahead in determining how the transition occurs and what shape it will take. Beginning in Doha this past weekend, the international community gathered in various bilateral and multilateral formats to discuss next steps. All actors appear to accept that despite its terrorist designation, HTS will require a seat at the table, and most are now proactively communicating with the group. The United Nations is preparing to host a hurriedly arranged Geneva meeting to begin the steps laid out by UN Security Council Resolution 2254 — including establishing a transitional governing body and creating conditions for free and fair elections — though the format, scope, and participant list are yet to be determined.
No comments:
Post a Comment