New Leadership In Syria

Introduction: The interim president in Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has signed a temporary constitution that permits the country to be under Islamist rule, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, while claiming to protect the rights of Syrian citizens. This has been expressed to be Syria's new "transitional phase" and has received mixed thoughts in return. This decision was also conclusive in nullifying the old Syrian Constitution with the intent of creating a new one. Many are ecstatic with the removal of Assad's dictatorial rule; however, many are still concerned with what this new Islamist rule will look like.

Context on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is an Islamist Sunni terrorist group that led the resistance against Bashar al-Assad. This group plans to replace Assad's previous rule with Islamic law. HTS is recognized as an official terrorist group by the U.S. State Department and the UN Security Council. This group has been associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda. HTS has held a prominent presence in Syria for many years, specifically in Northwestern Syria. This group has been said to repress Syrian citizens in areas of their control, escalate violence in Syria, and abuse human rights.

Future for Syria: Many are concerned with the future of Syria, specifically under the new Islamist rule under HTS. Although many are glad to be free from Assad's rule, many are also unsure of what the future will hold, specifically for minorities in Syria under a more repressive Islamic law. There have been alleged claims saying that certain freedoms of speech and media will be allowed under the newly drafted Syrian Constitution; nothing is confirmed yet.

Conclusion: Syria is entering a new authoritative era under a new group that is notoriously known for its terroristic attacks and resistance against Assad. Many are curious and afraid of what the future may hold for the citizens of Syria, but many hope for a better future. There have been promises made to draft a new Constitution that would protect the rights of Syrians but also include fundamentalist interpretations under Islamic law. This has raised concern for some, especially minorities living in Syria. The signing of the temporary Constitution will give HTS the power to become the authority of Syria for the next 5 years; however, the rest is not yet figured out. Will this improve Syria and help citizens, or is this the beginning of repressive rule and destruction for Syria?