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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Recent confrontations between Islamist factions now in control of Syria and former supporters of ousted leader Bashar Assad resulted in the deaths of two Islamic militants on Wednesday, along with several others injured, as stated by interim officials.
The exact circumstances leading to these clashes and the key instigators remain unclear. Interim officials disclosed that two fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the coalition instrumental in Assad’s recent ousting, were killed.
Syria’s transition following Assad’s departure has been deemed surprisingly smooth, yet it has only been a matter of weeks since the president fled and his administration collapsed. The groups that played a crucial role in toppling Assad are anchored in radical Islamist ideologies, and while they have expressed intentions to create a more inclusive governance model, it remains uncertain whether they will implement meaningful power-sharing arrangements.
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In the aftermath of Assad’s regime collapse, a significant number of Syrian civilians have reportedly fallen victim to retaliatory violence, largely affecting members of the Alawite community, which is a sect of Shiite Islam associated with Assad.
In Damascus, tensions escalated as Alawite demonstrators clashed with Sunni protesters, accompanied by gunfire, although the Associated Press could not authenticate the specifics surrounding these incidents.
Protests from the Alawite community were also noted in coastal cities and regions around Homs and Hama, where calls for the release of former soldiers from the Syrian Army—now imprisoned by HTS—were made.
The protests appeared to have been influenced by an online video that purportedly showed the desecration of an Alawite shrine. However, interim officials contended that the footage was outdated and not indicative of recent events.
Since the overthrow of Assad, sporadic sectarian violence has flared, although the levels experienced have not reached the expected intensity given the historical context of the ongoing 14-year civil war that has claimed around half a million lives. This prolonged conflict has severely fragmented Syria, leading to millions becoming refugees and many more dislocated within the nation.
Recently, some displaced Syrians have started returning, expressing hope to restore their lives. Many faced the grim reality of returning to homes largely reduced to ruins.
Residents in the northwestern Idlib region have begun to repair their homes and businesses in an effort to re-establish normalcy.
Idlib and the broader province have remained under the control of HTS for several years, with Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leading the faction. Although the region is not unfamiliar with government forces conducting assaults, the environmental calm has come at a price.
Hajjah Zakia Daemessaid, a returnee who was displaced during the conflict, articulated her mixed emotions about her return to her house in the countryside. “My husband and I dedicated 43 years to saving and building our home, only to see it left in ruins,” lamented the 62-year-old.
In the streets, vehicles laden with belongings passed by, while townsfolk lingered or occupied deserted cafés, reflecting on the sweeping changes brought by the conflict.
In response to the ongoing turmoil, the new governing authorities in Damascus conducted raids on warehouses, seizing and incinerating illicit drugs such as Captagon and cannabis, which have reportedly been utilized by Assad’s military forces. The authorities disclosed the destruction of over one million Captagon tablets and numerous kilograms of cannabis.
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Albam reported from Damascus, Syria, and Alsayed from Idlib, Syria.
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For more information on the ongoing situation in Syria, visit https://apnews.com/hub/syria.
Source
www.yahoo.com