Syria Consolidates With The Integration Of the SDF: A Monumental Milestone Amidst Violence And Chaos.

Escalation in Syria: Clashes, Massacres, and Strategic Implications.

• According to the most reputable estimates, more than a thousand Syrians have been killed in clashes, mainly in Latakia province, since last week.

• Many innocent people have been slaughtered in their homes.

• However, before jumping to conclusions, it is essential to analyze what exactly happened and where the blame lies.

• There has been significant misinformation, particularly from far-right circles, which have been quick to frame the events as proof that so-called “terrorists” took over from Bashar al-Assad.

• (side note: the usual Tucker Carlson & co crowd were at it with endless ‘‘I told you so”)

• This narrative is often used to justify previous disgraceful support for the Assad regime.

• Therefore, a few critical points need to be made.

• 1. The Origin of The Violence.

• The initial violence began when pro-Assad forces ambushed Syrian Central State forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), killing them.

• These pro-Assad forces were remnants of Assad’s militias, primarily composed of Alawites—not Christians, as falsely reported in some circles.

• (side note: falsely but deliberately. Those same Tucker Carlson types have used the false ‘‘protector of Christian minorities’’ argument to back a bloodthirsty dictator like Assad.)

• It is crucial to note that Alawites are a sect/off-shoot of Shia Islam, not Christianity.

• Following this attack, the central Syrian government deployed its own official militia to counter Assad loyalists.

• However, in the meantime, anti-Assad militias exploited the situation, taking justice into their own hands and committing mass killings of innocent Syrians—many of whom had no connection to Assad or his supporters.

• In the crossfire, some Christians were also killed, although they represented a minority of the victims.

• 2. The Political Consequences for Al-Shara and the Syrian Government.

• This massacre is highly detrimental to the current Syrian government.

• Claims that President al-Sharaa ordered the killings are not supported by any facts or evidence and do not align with political logic.

• al-Sharaa is actively seeking legitimacy in the West.

• Since December, he has invited U.S. and EU representatives to Syria, worked on opening up Syrian society, and even allowed greater personal freedoms—such as the open sale of alcohol in Damascus and other cities.

• There has been no religious clampdown, and women remain free to dress as they choose.

• All available evidence, along with al-Sharaa’s broader political moves—including efforts to consolidate the Syrian state and allow representation of various sects —suggests that he has no interest in fostering chaos.

• Significant work has been done to integrate the Druze and Syrian Kurds (more on that later below) into the Syrian state, with largely successful outcomes.

• In this context, the recent violence is counterproductive to his administration: it reduces the likelihood of timely sanctions relief.