What do Syria’s other rebels want now?
HTS could not have taken Damascus without their help. We sit down with a Syrian rebel commander
SITTING IN A walled compound near the Syrian city of Daraa, not far from the Jordanian border, a Syrian rebel commander recalls his men’s part in the conquest of the capital, Damascus, a few days earlier. “We were supposed to wait until they took Homs, but when they took Hama, everyone decided to take up arms, we couldn’t stop them,” says the unassuming former trader now known by his nom de guerre, Abu Hamza.
Explore more
More from Middle East & Africa
West African booze is becoming a luxury product
Female entrepreneurs are leading the charge
First, the ceasefire. Next the Trump effect could upend the Middle East
Will Israel and Donald Trump use the threat of annexation to secure a new grand bargain?
After 15 months of hell, Israel and Hamas sign a ceasefire deal
Donald Trump provided the X factor by putting heat on Binyamin Netanyahu, who insists the war isn’t over yet
A hidden refuge in Sudan that the internet, banks—and war—can’t reach
A visit to the Nuba mountains provides a glimpse into the future of the country
Violent jihadists are getting frustrated by the new Syria
Tipsy dancers, Christmas decorations, Shias and women’s rights are in the crosshairs
America concludes genocide has been committed in Sudan—again
The move highlights the magnitude of Sudan’s civil war but does little to end it