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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Six months after al-Assad's fall: Syria's tightrope walk to unity
Six months ago, the once seemingly impossible became reality: Syria's long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown after years of brutal civil war. More than five decades of authoritarian rule by the al-Assad family came to an end. What remained was a fractured society - scarred by violence, riddled with mistrust, but also carrying a fragile hope for a new beginning. Today, the nation of roughly 23 million people is governed by a transitional administration led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while al-Assad has fled to Moscow. A former leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), al-Sharaa and his alliance played a central role in toppling al-Assad on December 8. Upon assuming office, the new leadership promised "a Syria for all." But six months on, has that promise been kept? Minorities under pressure: fear and uncertainty Internationally, the treatment of minorities in the new Syria is being viewed with particular scepticism. Like al-Sharaa and his companions, the majority of Syrians are Sunni Muslims. However, recurring outbreaks of partly sectarian violence in recent months have fuelled fears among Druze, Alawites and Christians, for example. As recently as early May, Sunni fighters aligned with the transitional government launched attacks on members of the Druze community, resulting in dozens of deaths. Observers reported what they described as "massacres" in the coastal region as early as March. In response to assaults by Assad loyalists, the transitional government launched a military operation, during which hundreds of Alawites - al-Assad's own minority sect - were killed in the fighting. "There is fear, not only in the Druze community, but also among other minorities," Hammud al-Hinawi, a Druze sheikh and one of the top leaders of the religious community, told dpa. "If we don't learn to accept one another, regardless of our religion, we can never build a nation," said al-Hinawi. This is precisely what interim President al-Sharaa promised the population when he took power: a united Syria. "But one must always keep in mind that Syria was divided by the old regime," emphasized the Druze leader. Only "hand in hand" and without extremism from any side can a united country be built, he added. This includes the Kurds in the north-east, who had previously governed their region with a high degree of autonomy. A key step toward national unity came with an agreement between Kurdish leaders and the transitional government to fully integrate into state institutions. This would, in theory, grant al-Sharaa's administration authority over both civil and military structures in the north-east. However, key details of the deal remain unresolved. Kurdish representatives expressed cautious optimism: "Like other communities, we are concerned, but we will see whether the new rulers will keep their promises and give every Syrian - regardless of their origin - their homeland back." Back on the international stage The new leadership in Damascus has also made it a priority to distance itself from the legacy of the al-Assad regime and to rebuild international relations. Al-Assad had been largely isolated following the outbreak of civil war, with his government facing severe sanctions from much of the global community. The conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that were violently suppressed. It escalated into a full-scale civil war with international involvement, displacing some 14 million people and killing more than 300,000 civilians, according to UN estimates. Nearly six months after al-Assad's fall, his successor al-Sharaa - a former rebel commander and ex-member of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda - has already met with several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump. In Europe, he was received by French President Emmanuel Macron. In September, al-Sharaa is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Reconnecting to global financial networks Damascus has recently scored significant gains on the international stage, particularly in the area of sanctions relief. In mid-May, Syrians flooded the streets in celebration after Trump unexpectedly announced the complete lifting of US sanctions against the country. Just days later, the European Union followed suit. The Syrian Foreign Ministry hailed the move as another "historic step" for the new Syria. During the war, essential goods - ranging from medicine to fuel - were scarce, with imports nearly impossible under the weight of international sanctions. The country was also largely cut off from the global financial system, making money transfers to and from Syria virtually impossible. Observers say lifting the sanctions could gradually lower prices and allow urgently needed foreign capital to flow into the country - critical for both economic recovery and long-term reconstruction efforts. 90% of Syrians still dependent on aid Even six months after the ousting of al-Assad, Syria remains far from stable. According to UN data from April, around 400,000 Syrian refugees from neighbouring countries - and over one million internally displaced persons - have returned to their homes. The humanitarian situation remains dire. The UN estimates that around 90% of the population still relies on some form of humanitarian aid. After more than a decade of conflict, widespread poverty persists. Many Syrians say they continue to wrestle with uncertainty about their country's future. "There are days when we question whether this new Syria is any different," one returnee said. "But there are also days when we believe - step by step - we're moving in the right direction. Hope is still alive."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burkina Faso's military leaders turn to 'Africa's Che Guevara' to rally struggling country
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The military rulers of Burkina Faso have turned to a man once known as 'Africa's Che Guevara" as a way to rally a country struggling to defeat extremists and turning away from former Western allies. Hundreds of young people gathered over the weekend in the capital, Ouagadougou, for the opening of a mausoleum for legendary leader Thomas Sankara. 'I'm the driver of the revolution!" one young man exclaimed with delight, sitting behind the wheel of the jeep that Sankara used during his presidency decades ago. A charismatic Marxist leader who seized global attention by defiantly declaring his country could rely on itself, Sankara came to power in 1983 at the age of 33 after he and former ally Blaise Compaore led a leftist coup that overthrew a moderate military faction. But in 1987, Compaore turned on his former friend in a coup that killed Sankara in the capital — and later became president himself. An anti-imperialist legacy Nearly four decades after his death, Sankara is being celebrated in Burkina Faso, a nation of 23 million people once known for its bustling arts scene and vibrant intellectual life — including Sankara's anti-imperialist and pan-African legacy. 'When I stepped inside the mausoleum, I felt the revolution,' said Timoté, a 22-year-old who said he came because of what he heard about Sankara at home and at school. Sankara's mausoleum, designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Francis Kéré, has been the project of current military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore. Since taking power during a coup in 2022, Traore has presented himself as the new Sankara. He has named one of the main streets after the revolutionary leader, elevated him to the rank of Hero of the Nation and revived revolutionary slogans such as 'Fatherland or death, we will win!' in most of his speeches. The mission of the mausoleum is "to keep the flame of the revolution alive and to remind the world of Capt. Thomas Sankara's fight to break the chains of slavery and imperialist domination,' Burkina Faso Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo said as he read Traore's statement. An unstable Burkina Faso Despite promising to fight the security crisis that pushed it to stage a coup, Burkina Faso's military leaders have struggled to deal with the worsening crisis. According to conservative estimates, more than 60% of the country is now outside of government control, more than 2 million people have lost their homes and almost 6.5 million need humanitarian aid to survive. Human rights groups say the military leadership has installed a system of de facto censorship, crushing critics, while many have been killed by jihadi groups or government forces. As people flocked to Ouagadougou to celebrate Sankara, life elsewhere in the country reflects a different reality. 'We can go out for a bit in the city center, but with caution,' said one student from Dori, the capital of the northern region, echoing concerns about restrictions on free speech and movement. The student spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being arrested. Security concerns have permeated every aspect of life in Ouagadougou. Even the price of beer has skyrocketed as more places become inaccessible to traders. 'There are two Burkina Fasos,' said a teacher from the east, speaking on condition of condition of anonymity for safety reasons. 'One where the streets are deserted at night, and another that comes alive to enjoy the cool evening air.'
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Burkina Faso's military leaders turn to 'Africa's Che Guevara' to rally struggling country
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The military rulers of Burkina Faso have turned to a man once known as 'Africa's Che Guevara' as a way to rally a country struggling to defeat extremists and turning away from former Western allies. Hundreds of young people gathered over the weekend in the capital, Ouagadougou, for the opening of a mausoleum for legendary leader Thomas Sankara. 'I'm the driver of the revolution!' one young man exclaimed with delight, sitting behind the wheel of the jeep that Sankara used during his presidency decades ago. A charismatic Marxist leader who seized global attention by defiantly declaring his country could rely on itself, Sankara came to power in 1983 at the age of 33 after he and former ally Blaise Compaore led a leftist coup that overthrew a moderate military faction. But in 1987, Compaore turned on his former friend in a coup that killed Sankara in the capital — and later became president himself. An anti-imperialist legacy Nearly four decades after his death, Sankara is being celebrated in Burkina Faso, a nation of 23 million people once known for its bustling arts scene and vibrant intellectual life — including Sankara's anti-imperialist and pan-African legacy. 'When I stepped inside the mausoleum, I felt the revolution,' said Timoté, a 22-year-old who said he came because of what he heard about Sankara at home and at school. Sankara's mausoleum, designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Francis Kéré, has been the project of current military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore. Since taking power during a coup in 2022, Traore has presented himself as the new Sankara. He has named one of the main streets after the revolutionary leader, elevated him to the rank of Hero of the Nation and revived revolutionary slogans such as 'Fatherland or death, we will win!' in most of his speeches. The mission of the mausoleum is 'to keep the flame of the revolution alive and to remind the world of Capt. Thomas Sankara's fight to break the chains of slavery and imperialist domination,' Burkina Faso Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo said as he read Traore's statement. An unstable Burkina Faso Despite promising to fight the security crisis that pushed it to stage a coup, Burkina Faso's military leaders have struggled to deal with the worsening crisis. According to conservative estimates, more than 60% of the country is now outside of government control, more than 2 million people have lost their homes and almost 6.5 million need humanitarian aid to survive. Human rights groups say the military leadership has installed a system of de facto censorship, crushing critics, while many have been killed by jihadi groups or government forces. As people flocked to Ouagadougou to celebrate Sankara, life elsewhere in the country reflects a different reality. 'We can go out for a bit in the city center, but with caution,' said one student from Dori, the capital of the northern region, echoing concerns about restrictions on free speech and movement. The student spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being arrested. Security concerns have permeated every aspect of life in Ouagadougou. Even the price of beer has skyrocketed as more places become inaccessible to traders. 'There are two Burkina Fasos,' said a teacher from the east, speaking on condition of condition of anonymity for safety reasons. 'One where the streets are deserted at night, and another that comes alive to enjoy the cool evening air.'
