Part 2/9:
The Financial Times highlights the attempts of HTS to assert its authority over Syria, focusing on the implications this has for social order and international relationships. Analysts draw parallels to the chaos that followed the removal of regimes in other Middle Eastern countries, emphasizing the difficulty of establishing a new governance structure after years of autocracy.
Some experts are cautiously optimistic, suggesting that HTS might pursue a reformist agenda to secure legitimacy and international support. Conversely, others warn that HTS, a group once affiliated with al-Qaeda, could revert to extremist policies, undermining any semblance of stability. With factions across Syria often at odds, particularly the Kurds in the northeast, the situation remains volatile.