Rebel government in Idlib gives clues to what the rest of Syria can expect

The road to Idlib, a remote corner in northwestern Syria, still bears the signs of the old front lines: trenches, abandoned military positions, rocket shells and ammunition.

Until just over a week ago, this was the only area of ​​the country controlled by the opposition.

From Idlib, rebels led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, launched a stunning offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad and ended his family’s five-decade dictatorship in Syria.

As a result, they have become the de facto authorities of the country and appear to be attempting to bring their way of governing to the rest of Syria.

In the city center of Idlib, opposition flags, with a green stripe and three red stars, flew high in public squares and were waved by men and women, old and young, following Assad’s ouster. Graffiti on the walls celebrated resistance against the regime.

While the destroyed buildings and piles of rubble were a reminder of the not-so-distant war, the renovated houses, newly opened shops, and well-maintained roads were testament that some things had indeed improved. But there were complaints of what was seen as heavy-handed governance by authorities.

When we visited earlier this week, the streets were relatively clean, traffic lights and streetlights were working, and officers were present in busy areas. Simple things that do not exist in other parts of Syria and that are a source of pride here.

HTS has its origins in Al Qaeda but, in recent years, has actively attempted to redefine itself as a nationalist force, distant from its jihadist past and intent on overthrowing Assad.

As fighters marched on Damascus earlier this month, their leaders spoke of building a Syria for all Syrians. However, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and others, including Turkey, which backs some Syrian rebels, still describe it as a terrorist organization.

The group took control of most of this region, home to 4.5 million people, in 2017, bringing stability after years of civil war.

The administration, known as the Salvation Government, is responsible for the distribution of water and electricity, garbage collection and paving of roads.

Taxes collected from businesses, farmers and crossings with Türkiye fund its public services as well as its military operations.

“During Assad’s rule, they used to say Idlib was the forgotten city,” said Dr. Hamza Almoraweh, a cardiologist, as he treated patients at a hospital set up in a former post warehouse.

He moved from Aleppo with his wife in 2015 as the war there escalated, but did not plan to return, even with the city under rebel control.

“We have seen a lot of development here. Idlib has many things that it did not have under the Assad regime.”

As it moderated its tone, seeking to gain international recognition amid local opposition, HTS revoked some of the strict social rules it had imposed when it came to power, including dress codes for women and a ban on music in schools.

And some people cite recent protests, including against government-imposed taxes, as evidence that a certain level of criticism is tolerated, in contrast to Assad’s repression.

“It is not a full democracy, but there is freedom,” said Fuad Sayedissa, an activist.

“There were some problems at the beginning, but in recent years they have been doing better and are trying to change.”

Originally from Idlib, Sayedissa now lives in Türkiye, where he heads the non-governmental organization Violet. Like thousands of Syrians, Assad’s fall meant he was able to visit his city again; in his case, for the first time in a decade.

But there have also been demonstrations against what some consider an authoritarian government. To consolidate power, experts say, the group attacked extremists, absorbed rivals and imprisoned opponents.

“How the government will act throughout Syria is a different story,” Sayedissa said. Syria is a diverse country and, after decades of oppression and violence perpetrated by the regime and its allies, many thirst for justice. “People are still celebrating, but they are also worried about the future.”

We tried to interview a local official, but we were told that they had all gone to Damascus to help in the new government.

An hour’s drive from Idlib, in the small Christian village of Quniyah, church bells rang for the first time in a decade on December 8 to celebrate Assad’s ouster.

The community, near the Turkish border, was bombed during the civil war, which began in 2011, when Assad crushed peaceful protests against him and many of its residents fled.

Only 250 people remained.

“Syria is better since the fall of Assad,” said Brother Fadi Azar.

However, the rise of Islamists has raised fears that minorities, including Assad’s Alawites, may be at risk, despite messages from HTS reassuring religious and ethnic groups that they would be protected.

“In the last two years, they (HTS) started to change… Before it was very difficult,” Fray Azar said.

Property was confiscated and religious rituals were restricted.

“They gave (our community) more freedom, they asked other Christians who were refugees to return to recover their lands and their homes.”

But is the change genuine? Can you trust them? “What can we do? We have no choice,” he said. “We trust them.”

I asked Sayedissa, the activist, why even opponents were reluctant to criticize the group.

“Now they are the heroes… (But) we have red lines. We will not allow dictators again, Jolani or anyone else,” he said, referring to Ahmed al-Shara, the HTS leader who abandoned his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al- Jolani after coming to power.

“If they act like dictators, the people are willing to say no, because now they have their freedom.”