Syrian coast after Assad’s escape: Fleeting Joy.. lasting challenges - Dia Iskandar

 The Syrian coast witnessed a historic moment on December 8, 2024, as Bashar al-Assad fled the country. Celebrations erupted across cities, towns, and villages, marking the downfall of a dictator who had ruled with an iron grip for decades. However, this joy was short-lived, as new challenges quickly emerged with the rise of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to power.

 It did not take long for HTS to reveal its true intentions. The group swiftly began imposing its hardline ideology through various means, instilling fear and uncertainty among the population. Many soon found themselves apprehensive about what the future might hold—potentially an even harsher reality than the regime they had just overthrown.

 On the very day of Damascus' power vacuum, HTS forces stormed coastal cities in convoys loaded with weapons and masked fighters. Gunfire filled the streets as they sought to assert their dominance over Assad’s fallen regime.

 As government forces—including the army, police, and security personnel—abandoned their posts and laid down their weapons, chaos ensued. Public institutions and security centers were left unprotected, leading to widespread looting, arson, and destruction. A curfew was declared, but thefts escalated, targeting economic facilities, public services, and even private homes. Raids and kidnappings became rampant, plunging the population into a state of fear. By sunset, streets were nearly deserted, and by nightfall, they were completely empty.

 Historically, coastal areas like Latakia and Tartus had been considered strongholds of Assad’s regime. However, the reality on the ground was starkly different. Most of the region’s inhabitants had long suffered from extreme poverty and dire living conditions, with only a handful of war profiteers and corrupt elites enjoying the state’s limited resources. This widespread hardship fueled resentment toward the regime, as many had endured years of suffering and loss under its rule.

 In previous years, many young men from the coastal areas had enlisted in the army or joined the pro-regime National Defense Forces (NDF) in search of meager wages to escape unemployment. Tens of thousands perished in combat, leaving most families grieving for a lost relative—whether killed, wounded, or missing.

 As the Assad era came to an abrupt end, the Syrian coast entered a new and uncertain phase. While the dictator's departure was a moment of relief for many, the region now faces a different kind of struggle—one defined by instability, insecurity, and the looming specter of extremist rule. Following the escape of Bashar al-Assad, the new military leadership quickly moved to consolidate power, appointing directors to key institutions—many of them from Idlib, the stronghold of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). However, the transition was marked by chaos, violence, and deepening uncertainty.

 HTS-affiliated factions launched raids across neighborhoods and villages under the pretext of searching for weapons and tracking down “remnants of the regime.” These operations led to widespread arrests, brutal reprisals against members of the Alawite community, and massacres that claimed the lives of many innocent civilians.

 Despite repeated assurances from HTS’s military leadership that those responsible for such crimes would be held accountable, residents saw no concrete measures to curb these abuses, leaving them increasingly fearful for their safety.

 Economically, the post-Assad era saw a surge in Turkish goods flooding coastal markets at competitive prices due to exemptions from taxes and tariffs. However, product quality varied widely, and the absence of regulatory oversight raised concerns about consumer safety. Meanwhile, public spaces—sidewalks, squares, and parks—were overtaken by informal street vendors, evoking images of some of the world’s most economically distressed regions.

 At the same time, local industries and production facilities ground to a halt due to escalating insecurity and transportation costs that rendered commuting unaffordable for many workers. Thousands of employees in state institutions were placed on forced leave for three months under the pretext of “labor surplus,” while contract workers were immediately dismissed—many of them family members of fallen regime soldiers, accused of having been appointed by the former government.

 Public services, already fragile under the Assad regime, further deteriorated. Electricity became an elusive luxury, with residents enduring prolonged blackouts, followed by brief power returns lasting no more than an hour—sometimes just half an hour—barely enough to charge batteries and mobile phones.

Access to hot water became a privilege, with those fortunate enough to bathe having to coordinate between sporadic electricity supply and intermittent water flow. Any disruption in the water network could take weeks to repair due to the shortage of maintenance crews.

 Moreover, the judicial system, a cornerstone of state stability, suffered a near-total collapse. In Latakia, vandals stormed the courthouse, setting fire to case files and legal documents, effectively paralyzing the judiciary.

 Compounding the crisis, the new military administration suspended Syria’s constitution, leaving judges without a legal framework to guide their rulings. This legal vacuum resulted in a backlog of unresolved cases that could take months—if not longer—to process, assuming judicial institutions could be restored.

 Amid this turmoil, nationalists and political leaders convened forums across coastal cities to analyze the evolving political landscape and outline steps for the future. Encouragingly, most of these gatherings rejected proposals for partition, sectarian quotas, or international protection—ideas promoted by some intellectuals.

 Participants, like many Syrians, hoped for a national conference encompassing all political, ethnic, and religious groups without exclusion. The goal was to reach a consensus on Syria’s future through dialogue and mutual understanding. However, the Damascus authorities indefinitely postponed the conference, leaving the country’s political fate uncertain. Despite the overwhelming security, economic, and social challenges facing Syria’s coastal region after Assad’s rule, hope for change remains alive. With the era of dictatorship now over, Syrians are left grappling with the next pressing question: what comes next?

a.k

ANHA