Will he walk the walk and not just talk the talk? And if he doesn’t win in the elections, will he peacefully stand aside for whoever does win?” one analyst said.

But there were complaints of what was seen as heavy-handed rule by the authorities. When we visited earlier this week, streets were relatively clean, traffic lights and lamp-posts worked, and officers were present in the busiest areas.

The Islamists who now lead Syria have ruled the city of Idlib for years. Residents say they imposed some strict laws, but also heeded some complaints and improved public services.

How the rebels governed Idlib offers insight into how they might rule Syria. Experts and residents of Idlib describe their governance as pragmatic and influenced by internal and external pressure. However,

Last week, while touring Damascus, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) was approached by a young woman who asked for a photo with him. He gently requested that she cover her hair before taking the picture.

Sham, which toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad, governed Syria's Idlib province with a mix of repression and pragmatism. Led by Abu Mohamed al-Golani, the group is said to be moderating.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The toppling of Bashar Assad has raised tentative ... Over years of control in the northwest Syrian province of Idlib, HTS allowed Christians and Druze to practice without interference. HTS is led by a former al-Qaida member ...

After public protests and then rebellion erupted in Syria in 2011, Assad’s regime clung to power through systemic torture and relentless military campaigns with support from Iran, Russia, and an array of allied militias.

Still, it is in everyone’s interest that Syria succeed. Syrians do not want to endure further strife and devastation, and the international community cannot afford to see Syria come apart. Interested countries now need to do everything they can,

Assad’s regime fell. This is a fact, but it woefully understates the enormity, speed, and consequences of what has transpired. The brutal dictatorship that ruled Syria for more than 50 years disintegrated in fewer than 10 days.

A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad.

The road to Idlib, a remote corner in north-west Syria, still has the signs of the old front lines: trenches, abandoned military positions, rocket shells and ammunition. Until a little more than a ...