One Week Into New Syria: Rebels Seek Normalcy, Syrians Refuse Silence

At Damascus International Airport, the new head of security, a former rebel who had marched across Syria to the capital, arrived with his team. The few maintenance workers who reported to work gathered around Maj Hamza al-Ahmed, eager to learn about the changes ahead. They quickly shared grievances that had been silenced during President Bashar Assad’s rule, which now, surprisingly, had come to an end.

The workers spoke about being denied promotions and benefits in favor of Assad loyalists and being threatened with imprisonment for slow work. They also expressed concerns about hardcore Assad supporters among the airport staff, who might return once the facility reopens. As al-Ahmed tried to reassure them, engineer Osama Najm commented, “This is the first time we talk.”

This was a pivotal week for Syria following Assad’s unexpected downfall. Rebels, now in charge, encountered a population filled with mixed emotions—excitement for newfound freedoms, grief over years of oppression, and uncertainty about the future. Some were so overwhelmed by the changes that they were brought to tears.

Surprisingly, the transition has been smooth. There have been few reports of reprisals, sectarian violence, or revenge killings. Looting and destruction were quickly controlled, and insurgent fighters have been disciplined. In the capital, Damascus, life went on as usual, with only a single van of fighters spotted.

Yet, there are numerous challenges ahead. Syria is broken, isolated after five decades of Assad rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners suffer from trauma, and tens of thousands of detainees remain unaccounted for. The economy is in shambles, poverty is widespread, and corruption is rampant. Despite these issues, many are eager to chart a new path forward.

At the airport, al-Ahmed told the staff, “The new path will have challenges, but Syria is for all, and we must cooperate.” Najm, an engineer, acknowledged the rebels’ positive rhetoric but warned, “We will not stay silent about anything wrong again.”

Meanwhile, in a police station that had been burned down, Assad’s pictures were torn down, and files destroyed after insurgents entered the city on December 8. All Assad-era police and security personnel had disappeared. By Saturday, the station was being managed by ten men from the police force of the rebels’ de facto “salvation government,” which had previously governed Idlib in Syria’s northwest.

These rebel policemen, now tasked with overseeing the station, dealt with petty thefts and street disputes. One woman complained about neighbors sabotaging her power supply, and a policeman informed her that courts would soon begin operating again, though it would take time.

The rebels have tried to bring order to Damascus by replicating the system they had in Idlib. However, scaling this structure is a challenge. There are only about 4,000 rebel policemen, with half of them stationed in Idlib and the rest tasked with maintaining security in Damascus and other areas. Some experts estimate the total number of insurgents at around 20,000.

The fighters and civilians are still learning about each other. Many insurgents drive expensive SUVs and carry Turkish lira, an unofficial currency in government-controlled areas. Most of the fighters come from conservative, rural areas and some are hardline Islamists.

The main rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has distanced itself from its al-Qaeda past, but some fighters still wear Islamist slogans on their uniforms, and not all insurgents belong to HTS. Many Syrians remain wary of the new forces, with some, like Hani Zia from Daraa, concerned about the potential for attacks on minorities and revenge killings. Zia fears that some fighters may feel superior due to their years of fighting.

Despite these fears, life in Damascus has not been marked by widespread fear. Many people feel a newfound sense of freedom and refuse to be oppressed any longer. Some restaurants have resumed serving alcohol, while others do so more discreetly. At a café in the Christian quarter of the Old City, men were drinking beer when a fighter patrol passed by, but the fighters did nothing.

Salem Hajjo, a theater teacher who had participated in the 2011 protests, expressed that although he disagreed with the rebels’ Islamist views, he admired their ability to manage their affairs and expected to have a voice in Syria’s future. “We have never been this at ease,” he said. “The fear is gone. The rest is up to us.”

In the aftermath of Assad’s fall, celebratory gunfire echoed through the streets. Some security agency buildings were set on fire, and the airport’s duty-free was looted. The rebels blamed fleeing Assad loyalists for much of the chaos. The public stayed indoors, watching from a distance as the insurgents imposed order. A three-day curfew was announced, and fighters were deployed to protect properties.

After a day, people began to venture out, with many heading to the prisons, particularly Saydnaya, to search for loved ones who had been missing for years. Though few found any trace of the missing, it was a unifying experience. Rebels searching for their own lost relatives mingled with families of the missing, all in the same grim halls.

During the street celebrations, insurgents invited children to climb onto their armored vehicles, posed for photos with women, and played revolutionary songs. Posters of activists killed by Assad’s regime began appearing everywhere, and the state-controlled TV stations swiftly switched from praising Assad to airing revolutionary songs and declarations from the new insurgent-led government.

The new administration has called on people to return to work and urged Syrian refugees to come back to help rebuild the country. Plans for rehabilitating the security forces have been announced to prevent the return of individuals with blood on their hands. Rebel leaders assured airport staff, many of whom had been loyal to Assad, that their homes would not be attacked.

Despite the hopeful atmosphere, Syria still faces many unresolved issues. Although produce prices have fallen after Assad’s departure, fuel distribution has been disrupted, leading to high transportation costs and widespread blackouts.

Officials are working to reopen the airport soon. This week, maintenance crews inspected planes on the tarmac, and cleaners began clearing away trash and broken furniture. One cleaner, Murad, shared that he earned the equivalent of $15 a month and had six children to care for, one of whom is disabled. He dreams of owning a mobile phone but knows it will take time to clean up the airport. “We need a long time to clean this up,” he said.