The fall of the Assad regime has paved the way for a new era in Syria, but the rise of HTS presents significant challenges. Deepening sectarian divisions and a legacy of mistrust complicate the group's efforts to build a unified nation.
The fall of the Assad regime after more than 50 years and the rise of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) has brought Syria to a critical turning point. Decades of Ba'athist rule entrenched deep ideological and emotional divides within Syria n society. Aside from the massive job of rebuilding the war-torn country’s infrastructure, the militarised nationalism and sectarianism of Assad’s regime have left the country with lasting social and political scars.
These must be addressed as a matter of urgency if his successors truly wish to build a unified national identity. The 13-year civil war deepened sectarian fragmentation, particularly between the ruling Alawite and majority Sunni communities. HTS’s Sunni-centric background now presents it with the considerable challenge of navigating these divides. Further to that, the group’s historical ties to ideological extremism and its origins as a militant and militarised movement contribute to a significant trust deficit both domestically and internationally. Meanwhile the old order has been shattered. This was already happening. By the time of Assad’s downfall, the regime’s army was severely compromised. Systemic corruption, sectarian favouritism and organisational inefficiencies had crippled its effectiveness as a military force. Before the war began with the popular uprising of 2011, the Syrian army was a sprawling institution with hundreds of thousands of personnel across various branches. By and large, loyalty to the regime was prioritised over professional competence. A web of competing interests, deeply tied to sectarian and tribal allegiances and entrenched nepotism further eroded the army’s integrity. It had also largely lost the respect of the bulk of the Syrian people and was seen by most as a tool of Assad, rather than a defender of the people. This image was cemented in many people’s minds by the savagery directed against peaceful civilian protesters during the uprisin
Syria Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham HTS Assad Regime Sectarianism Unity Civil War Reconstruction
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