Hope and fear: Gießener Syrer celebrate the fall of Assad

Hope and fear: Gießener Syrer celebrate the fall of Assad

In an unexpected turning point, the location in Syria has changed dramatically: The Islamist militias alliance Hajat Tahrir al-Scham (HTS) has taken power and President Bashar al-Assad forced to flee to Russia. According to the ZDF , HTS, which has acted as a dominant force in northwestern Syria in recent years, has taken control of Damascus, which marked the end of 61 years of autocratic rule. This was done just a few weeks after the siege of Aleppo, which followed a shocking fall, which broke out both joy and concern with Syrian exile.

The reactions in Germany are mixed. Syrians in Gießen express the relief of Assad's fall and fear of taking power by HTS, which emerged from the al-Nusra front and still has connections to al-Qaida. Mr. Faysal, a Syrian living in Germany, describes the situation as "forced exile" and hopes that the new rulers will be modified and not as brutal successors Assads. While some like Dr. Mustafa Janoudi is optimistic that the HTS remains moderate, others like Basel Sawmi show great concerns about possible violence against minorities that come from the history of conflict in Syria.

uncertain future for Syria

like the Gießener Anzeiger reported, but also see the risks of this shift in power. While some consider the return to Syria as soon as security is guaranteed, the fear of a counter -revolution or the possible attacks of HTS remains. The ambivalence between hope and fear shapes the talks of the Syrians in Germany, which have become witnesses of chaotic developments in their homeland.

The international reaction to the HTS also remains ambivalent. The protection of the constitution in Germany considers the group as not concrete terroristically because it primarily focuses on Syria, while the international community, including Great Britain and the United States, continues to classify it as a threat. The appearance of HTS could mean that the country is facing a new beginning, but the challenges are still numerous. In the meantime, Syria remains in a critical transition phase, while the country is based in a new reality after decades of war.