in Idlib, administered by HTS since 2017, the promises of the rebel group that overthrew Assad

The HTS banner flies at the entrance to Idlib, in the northwest of Syria. Abdulhamid guides us through the crowded and noisy streets of the stronghold of the new masters of Damascus. “Look at life in Idlib!, he exclaims. All these stores open!”he rejoices. In a sense, Idlib, administered for seven years by HTS, appears to be a showcase of the new power: the city is bursting with activity. Only a few vestiges of last week's bombings bear witness to the war.

But we are already working on erasing them. The stalls are full of fruits and vegetables, roast chicken spits, butchers, jewelry stores, weapons stores… But the city also has water, electricity and telephone. On this side, there is no doubt: Idlib is a model for Syria.

“Here we have electricity 24 hours a day, while in the rest of Syria it is only two hours a day, whether in the coastal areas or in Damascus.”

Abdulhamid, a resident of Idlib

at franceinfo

This makes Muhammad al-Asmar, at the Idlib information ministry, smile: “In Damascus our teams suffer to have internet even though it is the capital. Here, in Idlib, whatever the street, you have internet. But one of the greatest successes of this government is security. We got rid of the remnants of Daesh that were still in this region.”

Women say they enjoy walking without risk. All are veiled, many wear the niqab, but it is the tradition here. The HTS does not impose any outfit. However, he established a shura council, a council of Muslim judges, which controls the government.

Muhammad al-Asmar recognizes that the example of conservative Idlib cannot be transposed to the rest of Syria, which is much more diverse. “Syria belongs to all Syrians and they all have the right to participate in decisions. We will not fall into the same trap as the al-Assad regime which confiscated power for the benefit of a single communityhe says. His mistake was to reduce Syria to a group and a family that monopolized all the resources.”

But the road map applied to Idlib, reconstruction, respect for Islam, security, suggests the priorities of the HTS.

And education is not one of them, criticizes Nour. “I have four children and I have only managed to send one to school because it costs $350 a yearshe explains. It's way too expensive. There is no free education here and we have no money, not even enough to eat. Look: she has a twin brother. She goes to school, but I couldn’t send him there.” Recovering the economy remains one of the challenges, in Idlib as in the rest of the country.