Although Bashar al-Assad has been ousted, Syria continues to face severe sectarian tensions. The new government struggles to balance the demands of its jihadist supporters with the need for minority inclusion, leading to violent clashes and unrest in various regions.
Syria has experienced a significant political shift with the removal of Bashar al-Assad; however, the underlying sectarian tensions persist. The newly established rulers are grappling with the dual challenge of appeasing their jihadist base while reassuring minority populations. On February 26, violence erupted in Latakia, Syria’s largest port, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including an officer from the ousted regime, despite an amnesty intended to protect him.
The following day in Qardaha, Assad’s ancestral home, locals responded to a checkpoint established by authorities by attacking a police station after a protester was shot. The same evening, clashes erupted in three coastal cities as supporters of the new Sunni Islamist government confronted areas predominantly occupied by Assad’s Alawite sect, wielding machetes and al-Qaeda flags. Subsequently, armed conflicts occurred in Jaramana, a Damascus suburb, as government forces attempted to remove barricades set up by the local Druze community amid rising tensions.
The political landscape in post-Assad Syria remains fraught with challenges as the new rulers must navigate the complexities of sectarian violence while attempting to maintain control and ensure stability. The persistence of unrest underscores the difficulties of governance in a society deeply divided along sectarian lines following decades of authoritarian rule.
Original Source: www.economist.com
