From Fighters to Policemen in a Post-Assad Damascus

new video loaded: From Fighters to Policemen in a Post-Assad Damascus

transcript

transcript

From Fighters to Policemen in a Post-Assad Damascus

As the rebels who ousted Syria’s longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad, transition from insurgents to administrators, maintaining order in the streets of the capital has become a top priority.

Until recently, these men were at war with the Syrian government. Now, they’re manning checkpoints across the capital. They’re former fighters for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or H.T.S. The Islamist group, once an Al Qaeda affiliate, overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad in early December. After 13 years of civil war, restoring security is one of the top priorities for H.T.S. The group has installed people like Basel al-Helal, a former rebel, to head the police in Damascus. The fighters turned police now control traffic and are trying to return property that was looted during the recent government overthrow. They also say their mission is to conduct raids to apprehend drug dealers, thieves and former government officials. Before ousting al-Assad, H.T.S. ran a local government in a part of northern Syria that it controlled. There, it was accused of rights abuses, including the jailing of critics. This has some people worried. They are concerned about how H.T.S. will govern now that it controls a much larger and more diverse part of the country. These H.T.S. fighters say concerns about them are misplaced.

Recent episodes in Conflict in Syria

Source link

Latest

Back to School: 18 Portable Allergy-Friendly Snack Recipes! Vegan, Gluten-free, with Nut-free options

I’m in total denial about summer winding down. Gulp....

Turnstile to Kick Off 2025 US Headlining Tour

Turnstile are gearing up for their Fall 2025 US...

ShifCustom’s Moto Guzzi Breva Café Racer…

With over two decades of experience, numerous awards, and...

Russia’s central bank reveals GDP is shrinking, a sign Putin’s war economy is in recession

The Bank of Russia lowered benchmark rates again on...

Newsletter

spot_img

Don't miss

Back to School: 18 Portable Allergy-Friendly Snack Recipes! Vegan, Gluten-free, with Nut-free options

I’m in total denial about summer winding down. Gulp....

Turnstile to Kick Off 2025 US Headlining Tour

Turnstile are gearing up for their Fall 2025 US...

ShifCustom’s Moto Guzzi Breva Café Racer…

With over two decades of experience, numerous awards, and...

Russia’s central bank reveals GDP is shrinking, a sign Putin’s war economy is in recession

The Bank of Russia lowered benchmark rates again on...

3 September, 2025 – Episode 1028 – Science Unplugged

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:02:39...
spot_imgspot_img

Back to School: 18 Portable Allergy-Friendly Snack Recipes! Vegan, Gluten-free, with Nut-free options

I’m in total denial about summer winding down. Gulp. You too? Many of you have been writing me asking about healthy, on-the-go snack recipes...

Turnstile to Kick Off 2025 US Headlining Tour

Turnstile are gearing up for their Fall 2025 US tour supporting their excellent new album NEVER ENOUGH on September 15th in Nashville. “THE NEVER ENOUGH...

ShifCustom’s Moto Guzzi Breva Café Racer…

With over two decades of experience, numerous awards, and a stacked skill set spanning traditional fabrication to 3D design, there’s very little that ShifCustom...