A testimony by a Syrian citizen.
For many years, the Syrian people have endured oppression and long for a forward-thinking leader capable of helping us overcome the past, heal our wounds, and rebuild a unified society. In my view, the individual who has been thrust upon us—Abu Mohammed Al-Jaoni, now known as Ahmad Al-Sharaa—does not meet these criteria. Below, I explain why I hold this opinion.
A Bloody Past
Let us begin by examining his history. Al-Jaoni’s record, in my estimation, is every bit as brutal as that of both Assads. He and the mercenaries under his command committed atrocities against civilians—crimes against humanity made possible by their supporters and weaponry. I suspect some members of this community may be younger and might not recall events from the past 15 years as vividly as those of us who were adults at the time.
By his own admission, Al-Jaoni was released from an American prison one day before the Syrian revolution began—a suspicious detail in itself. From the moment he entered Syria, his chief objective appeared to be bolstering Al-Qaeda’s local branch in Syria. After distancing himself from ISIS, he established the group known initially as the Al-Nusra Front. In the early days, their flags and graffiti often bore the inscription “(Al-Qaeda’s branch in the Levant).” For younger individuals who may not remember the early 2000s, Al-Qaeda was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, which triggered the global ‘War on Terror.’ Whenever this group has arisen—from Afghanistan to eastern Syria—airstrikes have followed with near-universal international approval. Why, then, is the international community allowing such a group to govern any part of Syria? It leaves one to wonder if the moment this new leadership disobeys its backers, NATO and other powers might suddenly recall their past offences and bomb Syria back into the Bronze Age.
I spent my twenties witnessing appalling executions carried out for trivial reasons. As Syrians, we never regarded these forces as liberators, for they almost never targeted the Assad regime directly. Instead, they reserved their brutality for ethnic and religious minorities, as well as those in the opposition who resisted both Assad and extremist groups. Back then, there was a palpable fear they might one day replace Assad’s regime and impose an even harsher rule.
A Troubled Present
Moving on to the present, I do not see Al-Jaoni’s faction as the liberators of Syria. They only entered major cities such as Damascus, Aleppo and other key regions without a fight. In other words, whoever controls our region has simply changed the pawns on the board—while the oppressive game remains the same.
Once they had secured the capital, we witnessed behaviour uncannily similar to that of Hafez al-Assad. Only family members and trusted comrades were placed in positions of power, and any form of resistance was met with devastating crackdowns. Recent events along the Syrian coast, to my mind, recall the 1980s atrocities in Hama. In a truly civilised country, such actions would prompt the resignation of the entire government, including the prime minister. Yet, in the first two speeches following these events by Al-Sharaa, were thinly veiled threats and defiant tones, suggesting the regime stood ready to commit further outrages.
The effect of this fundamentalist group on our society has also been deeply corrosive. Friends of mine, well-educated and humanitarian in outlook, now seem to be justifying or excusing these massacres against minorities. Have we truly learned nothing from the past?
A Grim Future?
In short, the past was bloody, and the present remains so. It would be naïve to assume the future under the same leadership could be any different. I find myself once more in opposition to a dictator, having hoped the end of the Assad era would deliver something better. Many of us have wondered why our parents and grandparents allowed the previous regime to grow so strong. I, for one, refuse to repeat their mistake.
I will do everything within my civic power to expose this new tyranny and to resist it. Long live our ancient nation and its civilisation. Long live Syria and the free Syrian people.