Life in Idlib hints at what Syria can expect from rebel rule
... "Under Assad, they used to say that Idlib was the forgotten city," said Dr Hamza Almoraweh, a cardiologist, as he treated patients in a hospital set up in an old post office warehouse.
He moved from Aleppo with his wife in 2015 when the war there intensified, but was not planning to return, even with the city under rebel control.
"We've seen a lot of development here. Idlib has a lot of things that it didn't have under the Assad regime."
As it moderated its tone, seeking to obtain international recognition amid local opposition, HTS revoked some of the strict social rules it had imposed when it came to power, including dress codes for women and a ban on music in schools.
And some people cite recent protests, including against taxes imposed by the government, as proof that a certain level of criticism is tolerated, in contrast with the repression of the Assads.
"It's not a full democracy, but there's freedom," said Fuad Sayedissa, an activist.
"There were some problems at the beginning but, in the last years, they've been acting in a better way and are trying to change."
... But demonstrations have also been held against what some say is authoritarian rule. To consolidate power, experts say,
the group targeted extremists, absorbed rivals and imprisoned opponents....
"In the last two years, they [HTS] started changing… Before, it was very hard," Friar Azar said.
Properties were confiscated and religious rituals restricted.
"They gave [our community] more freedom, they called on other Christians who were refugees to come back to take their land and homes back."
But is the change genuine? Can they be trusted? "What can we do? We have no other option," he said. "We trust them."
I asked Sayedissa, the activist, why even opponents were reluctant to criticise the group.
"They're now the heroes… [But] we have red lines. We'll not allow dictators again, Jolani or any other," he said, referring to Ahmed al-Shara, the HTS leader who dropped his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani after coming to power.
"If they act as dictators, the people are ready to say no, because they now have their freedom."
WE are the conspiratorial, lying, cowardly terrorists.
So true. We deserved the same criticism that Russia is getting.
The late night CNN crew was thrilled.
