The tricolor flag flies over Damascus. For the first time in twelve years, France sent a diplomatic mission to Syria on Tuesday, December 17, with the aim of meeting the transitional authorities in power. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Western diplomats and leaders parade in the Syrian capital. United States, United Nations (UN), Germany… Despite a certain distrust of the Islamists, everyone wants to speak with the new leaders of Syria. The latter are trying to reassure them about their abilities to appease a country devastated by thirteen years of civil war.
Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, the leader of the ruling coalition, is increasing his gestures towards the West. The founder of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the offensive, swapped his military fatigues for a well-tailored suit and his nom de guerre for that of his birth, Ahmed al-Charaa.
This smoother appearance is accompanied by unifying messages in a cosmopolitan country. “Syria must remain united, and there must be a social contract between the State and all faiths to guarantee social justice”he said on Monday, while the Kurdish, Alawite and Christian minorities expressed their fears at the arrival of pro-Turkish and Islamist rebels of the Sunni faith in power.
This statement is in line with Western demands. The French mission warned that Paris would be attentive to “the protection of civilians, particularly ethnic and religious minorities” and to “a peaceful political transition (…) which respects the rights of all Syrians, including women”. Already, during its offensive, HTS had denounced “the actions of the Islamic State organization [EI] against the Kurds, including the slavery of women” in a press release translated by journalist Wassim Nasr, specialist in jihadist movements.
With this formulation, HTS has killed three birds with one stone, while the international community insists on the importance of not seeing the jihadist group rebuild in Syria. “It’s a whole catalog that meets the criteria defined by several countries to establish normal relations with the new power”observes Denis Bauchard, advisor for the Middle East at the French Institute of International Relations.
In the province of Idlib, where HTS was established before the fall of the regime, “we got rid of the remnants of ISIS that were still in this region”boasted Muhammad al-Asmar, Minister of Information in the self-proclaimed government, to franceinfo. The city’s prisons were “full of sympathizers” of IS, journalist Wassim Nasr confirmed to franceinfo.
The new Syrian leaders are also in favor of a democratic transition. The Prime Minister, Mohammed al-Bashir, thus hammered home in an interview with Corriere della Sera hear not stay at your post “only until March 2025”. Riad Assaad, one of the rebel leaders, spoke to AFP about the importance of establishing a “transitional justice so that there are no acts of revenge” towards members of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, whom he wants to see tried for crimes that occurred during the civil war.
“The new authorities are looking for legitimacy, recognition, to establish their power.”
Denis Bauchardat franceinfo
By smoothing out its image, HTS hopes to see itself removed from the list of terrorist organizations drawn up by several countries, including the United States. Part of the movement was affiliated with Al-Qaeda, before links were severed in 2016 by Ahmed al-Charaa in an attempt – already – at normalization. Because of this status, “They are subject to three sanction measures: the freezing of assets, the travel ban and the arms embargo”details Kiho Cha, policy specialist at the UN.
This change would therefore facilitate the lifting of Western sanctions against Damascus, initially taken in response to the repression of demonstrators by the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Officially, they do not concern humanitarian aid. But “no company or bank dares to export medicines or hospital equipment to Syria, for fear of incurring the wrath of Washington”explained France Culture in 2020.
Despite these positive signals, the international community is wary of the sincerity of Ahmed al-Charaa and his men. Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, spoke on “moment of cautious hope in Syria” after his meeting with the boss of HTS. Bayram Balci, researcher at the International Research Center at Sciences Po Paris, believes that “this type of government does not have a structured plan“. “There is no longer an army, the country is destroyed, society is tired, the communities exhausted… They do not have the means to impose their radical standards anyway”.
“[Les autorités de transition] need everyone to rebuild the country.”
Bayram Balciat franceinfo
Moreover, “there were practically no abuses during the offensive. They were not in a spirit of revenge”says the researcher. The fact remains that since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, “Sunni armed groups not affiliated with HTS began to take advantage of the local power vacuum (…) to kill or kidnap members of minorities and loot their property”says the NGO International Crisis Group.
Not to mention the tensions in the north of the country between Kurdish forces and pro-Turkish groups, contained by a fragile truce under the aegis of Washington. The whole challenge for HTS will be “to demonstrate its ability to maintain order and stem violence”continues the NGO.
Big doubts also emerged about respect for women after the broadcast of a video by Syrian actress Iliana Saad on social networks. She recounts how an Islamist from HTS stopped her at a roadblock while she was walking with a friend. “You are too freethe man allegedly told him. You are in an Islamic state, women can only go out accompanied by their brothers or their husbands.”. Another video by Ahmed al-Charaa asking a woman to cover her head when taking a photo also caused an outcry.
“On the one hand, HTS seeks to appear open, accessible and moderately progressive to gain the support of a larger part of the populationexposes on X Mina al-Lami, BBC correspondent specializing in jihadist groups. “On the other, he must appease hard-liners who demand strict adherence to conservative Islamic values.” After the words, “They will be judged by their actions”concludes Denis Bauchard.
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