“FREEDOM, EQUALITY, RULE OF LAW”
Some insurgent fighters who milled about the capital on Monday, clustering in the central Umayyad Square, expressed hope a civilian administration would soon be running the country.
“We want the state and security forces to be in charge,” said Firdous Omar, a fighter who intends to resume farming in provincial Idlib.
Golani has vowed to rebuild Syria, and HTS has spent years trying to soften its image to reassure foreign nations and minority groups within Syria.
But fears of reprisals remained. HTS said it will not hesitate to hold security and army officers involved in torturing the Syrian people accountable, describing them as criminals and murderers.
“We will release a list that includes the names of the most senior officials involved in the torturing of the Syrian people,” Golani said in a statement. “Rewards will be offered to those who will provide information about senior army and security officers involved in war crimes.”
HTS is designated as a terrorist organisation by many states and the UN, and its governing credentials are uncertain.
“Syrians are looking forward to establishing a state of freedom, equality, rule of law, democracy, and we will join efforts to rebuild our country, to rebuild what was destroyed, and to rebuild the future, better future of Syria,” Syria’s UN Ambassador Koussay Aldahhak told reporters.
There were tentative signs of a return to order. Syria’s banks will reopen on Tuesday, and the oil ministry called on all employees in the sector to head to work on Tuesday, adding that protection would be provided to ensure their safety.
In one of many challenges facing Syria, Israel seized a buffer zone in the country’s south, a move condemned by Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia said the move would “ruin Syria’s chances of restoring security.”
Israel said its airstrikes would carry on for days but told the UN Security Council that it was not intervening in Syria’s conflict. It said it had taken “limited and temporary measures” solely to protect its security.
Source: CNA
