Critics of Bashar al-Assad often ridicule "keyboard warriors" for celebrating the Syrian President as a champion of minorities in the country. Both Bashar and his father Hafez have the blood of Christian and other minority communities on their hands, the anti-Assad camp has often alleged. Intentionally and otherwise, the actions of the two Assads have resulted in the killings of Christians near the Iraqi border, reports said.
Now, Damascus is preparing to witness a new chapter in the blood-soaked history of modern Syria. Bashar al-Assad has fled as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led rebel fighters entered the capital city, bringing an end to his Presidency, temporarily at least. However, the more pressing question is concerning the future of minorities in Syria. HTS and its 'Syrian National Army' allies are Islamic groups known for their aggressive intolerance towards "unIslamic" virtues. What will become of Christians, Kurds, Alawites and other minority sects in the country in the post-Assad days?
To answer the question fully, one must first learn a little about the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which loosely translates to the “Organization for the Liberation of the Levant” in English. Although an offshoot of the dreaded al-Qaeda that follows the Salafi-jihadist ideology, the HTS is slightly different from other Sunni jihadist organisations in the Middle East. To begin with, HTS doesn't harbour dreams of establishing a global Caliphate. Their ultimate goal is to topple the Assad regime and establish an alternate Islamic order in Syria.
'Modernised' HTS and Syria's religious minorities
In 2017, the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), a body made up of independent and HTS-linked technocrats was formed to function as the HTS’s governance wing. It established itself as the de facto administrative authority in the territories under its purview, mostly in Idlib. Under the leadership of Muhammad al-Jawlani, HTS has pushed the theory that it is “an independent entity that follows no organization or party, al-Qaeda or others” hard in recent years. HTS leadership went to the extent of arresting al-Qaeda-linked individuals in its territories to prove its independent existence.
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Muhammad al-Julani's HTS has been trying to convince the United States and the West to remove them from the list of terrorist organisations. They are interested in starting talks with global powers and the 42-year-old Julani has been trying to portray the group as a comparitively modern and soft Islamic outfit.
It is in the light of HTS's promise to not crack down on minorities in areas under their control to be seen. According to news reports, after taking over Aleppo, HTS commanders met Christian representatives from the region to address their concerns. The jihadists reassured minority communities that there was no need to flee their homes as "they would allow them to coexist," DW quoted an expert as pointing out. As a part of their broader (and serious) plan to be accepted as a relevant group by the West, HTS is likely to show tolerance towards minorities, he added.
In the Idlib region, several Christians had to abandon their land and property due to the civil war. However, HTS reportedly restored those houses and let the Christians reclaim them with land rights upon their return. Since 2018, Christians in the Idlib region have also been able to celebrate their religious holidays such as Easter or Christmas, the DW report said.
Areas of concern remain
On May 16, 2013, the US Department of State designated al-Jawlani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for carrying out several terrorist attacks targeting civilians across Syria. At the end of the day, an Islamic jihadi organisation can't be trusted fully to safeguard the rights of religious minorities, especially after getting the control of an entire nation. Several experts say the minorities shouldn't trust the HTS promises fully and only time will tell how tolerant the organisation really are.
