Syrian town branded 'conscience of the revolution' hopeful and wary after Assad's fall

The Syrian civil war has persisted for 14 years, and Kafranbel was internationally recognized as a significant center of resistance against the Bashar al-Assad government. This small town in Idlib province, known as "the conscience of the revolution," would gather residents weekly, unfurling colorful banners expressing support for Syrian revolutionaries in English and commenting on a range of issues, including freedom of the press, global politics, human rights, and the brutality of the rebels. The town's unwavering commitment to these principles made it a symbol of hope for a democratic Syria.

The fall of Assad on December 8 was a dramatic moment for the town, the culmination of years of struggle in the most difficult circumstances against the forces of the now-deposed president. However, this victory was also accompanied by deep concerns about the country's new rulers, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The organization has been accused of suppressing Kafranbel's once-vibrant media institutions and assassinating many of its leading activists and journalists. The transition of power has brought both relief and anxiety to the residents of Kafranbel.

Among the most prominent was Raed Fares, a civil society activist and broadcaster who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kafranbel in November 2018, along with his friend and fellow opposition activist Hamoud Jneed. Although HTS never claimed responsibility for the incident, local activists blamed HTS, believing that Fares' criticism of the group's rule in Idlib and his support for progressive causes had angered them. The loss of Fares and Jneed deeply impacted the community and raised fears about the future of free expression.

Ahmed Jalal, a cartoonist and former member of Fares' media team, says that with the rapidly changing situation in Syria, he is looking to the future and trying to put the painful events of the war behind him. He stated: "I was one of the few who directly accused HTS of assassinating Raed and Hamoud. I drew a picture, made banners, and raised them with a small group of young people in a demonstration in the center of Kafranbel." Jalal said that after the public accusation, HTS members came to his residence to arrest him, forcing him to sleep away from home to avoid capture. "After that, I was wanted by HTS until the regime fell," he added. His experience highlights the dangers faced by those who dared to speak out against HTS.

Despite the tense relationship with HTS during the war, Jalal says he is optimistic and hopes that the organization's leader, Ahmed Sharaa (now the interim president of Syria), will keep his promise that he has broken with past ideologies. Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, led HTS's predecessor, the al-Nusra Front, which was affiliated with al-Qaeda until it broke with the organization in 2016. When asked about HTS's attacks on him and his colleagues, Jalal said: "I don't like to dwell on the past at the moment." He described Sharaa as "very pragmatic" and noted that he had gradually purged "extremists" from HTS. Jalal's willingness to look forward reflects a desire for reconciliation and stability.

Nour al-Din Ismail, one of the first activists to join the opposition movement in 2011, also expressed hope that HTS has changed its ways. He told Middle East Eye: "Through our experience with them in Idlib over the past few years, we have observed a clear change in their approach and treatment of the community." He said that HTS's rhetoric has become more "moderate," at least since coming to power. "We are waiting for their words to be put into practice on the ground in the near future," he said. The cautious optimism expressed by Ismail and others suggests a wait-and-see approach to the new HTS-led government.

Kafranbel was occupied by pro-Assad forces in 2020, ending its protest movement and causing its residents to flee. However, when HTS and other allied rebel groups launched an operation in late November that swept across the country and ultimately led to the collapse of the Assad government on December 8, Kafranbel was one of the first towns to fall back into opposition hands. Jalal sent Middle East Eye a photo of himself and other Kafranbel activists holding an illustration in the newly liberated town in November. The photo depicted a Syrian soldier saluting in Kafranbel, with the images of Fares, Jneed, and Khaled al-Issa (another Kafranbel journalist killed in an explosion) under a rainbow-colored Syrian revolution flag. The image symbolizes the resilience and enduring spirit of the town's activists.

Jalal returned to Kafranbel with rebel forces on November 30, 2024, and found the town in ruins after years of Russian and government bombing. He said the area was "uninhabitable," and even the olive and fig trees that once provided its main source of income had been completely destroyed. "The city was completely looted, not even the iron from the ceilings of the houses was spared," he admitted. The devastation highlights the immense challenges facing Kafranbel as it seeks to rebuild and recover.

Kafranbel joined the demonstrations against Assad's rule in 2011 and came under rebel control in 2012. Soon, opposition activists and journalists began building a pro-revolution media network there, producing radio programs, videos, memes, and other content that opposed Assad and praised a new vision for Syria. One video saw activists dressed as cavemen in a surreal depiction of "three minutes of revolution," showing the international community failing to respond to Assad's attacks until he used chemical weapons in 2013. Their banners became their most famous export, addressing a range of topics. They expressed support for the "Black Lives Matter" protests and mourned terrorist attacks such as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Kafranbel's activists and journalists also condemned the 2015 al-Qaeda attack on the Charlie Hebdo Paris office after the magazine's staff was killed. The town's media network became a powerful voice for the opposition.

Even as rebel-held areas came increasingly under the influence of groups such as al-Qaeda, Ahrar al-Sham, and the Islamic State group (IS), whose ultra-conservative and authoritarian ideologies clashed with their vision of a free Syria, Kafranbel's activists continued to work. Initially, Fares and others tried to circumvent the new hardline restrictions imposed on them. When HTS demanded that Fares' "Fresh Radio" stop broadcasting the voices of female news presenters, he used software to alter their voices to make them sound like men. When they demanded that he stop playing music, he replaced it with bird sounds and out-of-tune football chants. However, as HTS consolidated its power in rebel-held territory, sidelining other armed groups, it tightened its grip, forcing Kafranbel's activists to lie low. The activists' ingenuity and resilience in the face of censorship were remarkable.

Jalal said: "During that period, HTS had complete control over Kafranbel in all aspects. People were afraid to confront them because the price was either arrest or assassination." "Therefore, the overall reaction was lukewarm and did not rise to the level of events." Ismail said that they would accept whatever their town suffered - their "revolutionary and intellectual activity" would adapt to the changing environment. "The people of Kafranbel look to the future with optimism, hoping to overcome the material and psychological destruction they have suffered and continue to participate in the future of Syria," he said. The community's determination to persevere despite the challenges is a testament to their unwavering spirit.

In 2018, Fares published an op-ed in The Washington Post criticizing then-US President Donald Trump's decision to freeze $200 million in funding for Syrian humanitarian groups. He warned that without independent voices like his "Fresh Radio" providing a platform for pro-democracy Syrians, groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda would fill the void. "In northwestern Syria, in my hometown of Kafranbel, I have seen firsthand how al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups, once dispersed by U.S.-backed forces, have regrouped and recruited fearful and disenfranchised young men," he wrote. Five months later, he would be shot dead. Fares' prescient warning underscores the importance of supporting independent media and civil society in conflict zones.

Since the fall of Assad, many activists and human rights organizations have spoken of the need for transitional justice, that those who committed war crimes and other atrocities must be held accountable. In addition to officials in the Assad government (many of whom have already fled abroad), those in the rebel camp who committed abuses also face calls for investigation. Relatives of the Douma Four have demanded that the new HTS-led government investigate the disappearance of Razan Zaitouneh, Wael Hamadeh, Samira Khalil, and Nazem Hammadi, human rights activists who were allegedly kidnapped in Eastern Ghouta in 2013 by the rebel group Jaysh al-Islam. However, given HTS's own alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and disappearances, any such process is likely to be fraught with controversy. The pursuit of justice and accountability will be a complex and challenging undertaking.

Bissan Fakih of Amnesty International said that the human rights organization would be "watching" the new authorities in Syria to see what concrete steps they take to address the abuses committed during the war, "regardless of who committed the violations." She told Middle East Eye: "In addition to the atrocities committed by the Assad government, Amnesty International has also documented patterns of abuse by other groups, including HTS, including arbitrary detention, torture, and suppression of dissent." "If there is to be a genuine path to justice, the transitional authorities must avoid further abuses and allow for unfettered investigations." Ismail said he remains cautiously optimistic. "A month after they came to power, their internal performance is considered good," he said. "We hope that the situation will improve in the next stage after transitional justice is applied and the perpetrators of Syrian war crimes are held accountable, thereby building a future nation for all Syrians." The international community's scrutiny and support will be crucial in ensuring a fair and just transition.