The race for Syria (II)

The ‘damned’? Jews and Christians

Several announcements made by the new government in Damascus in recent days have made the political and ideological transformation they want to impose on Syria a little clearer. The Ministry of Education, for example, has published documents that set out changes to the content and wording of Syrian school textbooks. Secular references are now to be replaced by religious-conservative ones. For instance, a phrase such as “path of goodness” is to be replaced by “Islamic path”.[1] References to evolutionary theory shall be removed. In the latter case, however, it could be argued that an anti-secular trend has emerged in some Western countries, particularly in the United States, and even in Germany where there are some initial moves towards ‘creationism’.[2] According to the new Syrian Ministry of Education, presentations of non-Islamic philosophies are also to be removed from the curricula. And mention of “those who are damned and have gone astray” is to be replaced specifically by “Jews and Christians”, referencing an ultra-conservative interpretation of a Quran verse. In response to initial online protests, Education Minister Nadhir al-Qadri stated that the amendments were not yet in force. They first would, he said, have to be approved by unspecified committees. A statement by the de facto holder of power Ahmed al-Sharaa also refers to nebulous committees that will draw up a new constitution. This, he says, could take two to three years, while elections will not be held for another four years.[3]

Control of the weapons

Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), the organisation led by al-Sharaa that has ruled the Idlib governorate in north-west Syria since 2017 [4] and brought about the violent overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in early December 2024, not only supplies cabinet ministers such as al-Qadri but is also in the process of taking full control of the military and intelligence services. Thus, the existing HTS military chief, Murhaf abu Qasra, has now been appointed defence minister. He controls the Syrian armed forces, into which HTS say it wants to integrate all armed groups in the country. Moreover, the previous HTS intelligence chief, Anas Khattab, is now head of the new Syrian intelligence service.[5] The process of integrating armed Islamist groups into the regular armed forces faces complications. Many Alawites and Druze, fearing attacks on their communities, are refusing to hand over their weapons to the new rulers. There have already been clashes and assaults, not least on the Alawite minority.[6] HTS has apparently felt compelled to hand over several leadership positions in the armed forces to leaders of foreign militias, including at least one Turk and one Uyghur from China. This is another move that has caused concern among Syrians, since the foreign militias are considered to have particularly strong jihadist leanings.[7]

Strategic relations

In terms of foreign policy, the new government in Damascus, headed by al-Sharaa, is aligning itself strongly with Turkey and the Arab Gulf states. Since the onset of the war in Syria, Turkey has invaded the country and backed opponents of former President Bashar al-Assad, with HTS becoming a close ally. The new Syrian foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, has recently highlighted this enabling role and announced his wish for Ankara to continue to “play a very active role in Syria in the future”.[8] Qatar, which had already funded HTS’s jihadist predecessor group, Jabhat al Nusra, can also expect to be allowed to exert considerable influence in Damascus. When Mohammed al-Khulaifi, Minister of State in the Qatari Foreign Ministry, visited Damascus on 23 December, he spoke with al-Sharaa about possible investments by the Emirate in Syria’s energy sector, ports and airports.[9] And yesterday, Sunday, the Syrian regime’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, al-Shaibani, and Minister of Defence, Abu Qasra, accompanied by intelligence chief Khattab, arrived in the Qatari capital Doha for further talks. This followed a trip to Riyadh, with Saudi Arabia being their first official foreign visit in office. As al-Shaibani had previously announced on X, “We look forward to building strategic relations with our brothers in the Kingdom,” having been given “words of full support at all levels.” Following his visit to Qatar, he is expected to visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Striving for influence

While Turkey and the Arab Gulf states are rapidly expanding their influence in Syria, Germany and the EU are currently endeavouring not to fall too far behind in Damascus. The head of the EU delegation to Syria, German diplomat Michael Ohnmacht, and a German delegation led by the Middle East Envoy at the Federal Foreign Office arrived in the Syrian capital in mid-December.[10] Berlin is seeking to capitalise on the fact that it provided a considerable amount of emergency and development aid during the period of HTS rule in the north-western Syrian governorate of Idlib and was able to establish contacts in HTS circles that could now prove extremely useful. On Friday, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock travelled to Syria together with her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and met with al-Sharaa. However, Baerbock attached conditions to possible cooperation with the HTS government. A “new beginning ... between Germany and Syria” was only possible if there was “a political dialogue in Damascus involving all ethnic and religious groups” and women’s rights were guaranteed.[11] Afterwards, the minister concluded in her usual lecturing tone that, “It was important to hear that they understood this.”

Syria’s interests

Whether the HTS government will behave in accordance with Berlin’s demands is, to say the least, uncertain. After all, the new rulers have alternative sources of support in Turkey and among the Arab Gulf states and these will place fewer conditions on Syria for political and economic cooperation. Damascus under al-Sharaa seems to be insisting on an independent course despite its very precarious situation. This is shown by, among other things, its reaction to the EU’s demand that the Russian military bases in Tartus and Hmeimim be closed immediately. Baerbock repeated this demand during her visit to Damascus on Friday. But as al-Sharaa recently commented in a lengthy interview with the Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, “We do not want Russia to exit Syria in a way that undermines its relationship with our country.”[12] It was in Syria’s “strategic interests”, he said, to maintain good relations “with the second most powerful country in the world”. Indeed, numerous weapons systems used by the Syrian armed forces are Russian-made, and it is Russian experts who are keeping Syrian power plants running. Moscow is looking to strengthen its positions in Libya as an alternative to its Syrian bases, but the new rulers in Damascus do not, according to al-Sharaa wish to force Russia out.

[1] Nadeen Ebrahim: Changes to Syria’s school curriculum spark online outrage. edition.cnn.com 02.01.2025.

[2] Lion Grote: Kreationistische Bewegung drängt an deutsche Schulen. morgenpost.de 06.03.2018.

[3] Syria’s de facto leader says holding elections could take up to four years. aljazeera.com 29.12.2024.

[4] See: Upheavals in Syria (II).

[5] Who is Syria’s new intelligence chief, Anas Khattab? newarab.com 27.12.2024.

[6] Kareem Fahim, Zakaria Zakaria: Alawites live in fear as Syrian rebels hunt members of Assad’s regime. washingtonpost.com 01.01.2025.

[7] Sebastian Usher: Foreign fighters given senior Syrian army posts, reports say. bbc.co.uk 31.12.2024.

[8] Syria FM in Saudi Arabia on maiden trip as new rulers reset regional ties. aljazeera.com 02.01.2025.

[9] Qatar and Jordan pledge support to Syria. reuters.com 23.12.2024.

[10] See: Wettlauf um Syrien.

[11] Baerbock in Syrien: Neuanfang ist möglich. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 04.01.2025.

[12] Exclusive: Syria’s new elections and draft constitution: Al-Sharaa outlines timeline. english.alarabiya.net 29.12.2024.