Syria: challenges facing Ahmad al-Shara as he strives for legitimacy both inside and outside war-torn country

By Rahaf Aldoughli, Lecturer in Middle Eastern Politics, Lancaster University

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 Syrian 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…

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