Everyone who participated in sectarian incitement and hate speech on social media or in public spaces prior to the massacre in the Syrian coast bears responsibility for its consequences. Likewise, journalists, activists, and defenders of Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, who played a role in fueling this incitement, must also be held accountable. There is no need to name them; their role is clear and well-known. Fighting the remnants of the regime is a national duty, but it does not justify overlooking other crimes or legitimizing hate speech that perpetuates violence. Transitional justice is essential for all Syrians, and there can be no genuine civil peace without accountability for everyone involved in incitement or crimes, regardless of their affiliation.

Syria Between Violence and Collapse: The Need for a State, Not FactionsAfter the fall of the Assad regime, the state we dreamed of did not materialize; instead, chaos and division persisted. I've contacted relatives and friends on the Syrian coast, and what I heard was catastrophic: civilians being killed, videos documenting horrific crimes, and dangerous sectarian incitement. I belong to a family that spans Syria's spectrums—Arabic, Kurdish, Alawite, and Sunni—and today, I see how the hatred planted by Assad for decades has worsened. Journalists and activists now face a significant ethical responsibility: just as we documented the regime's crimes for ten years, we must now expose all the crimes being committed today. Justice is indivisible; we cannot demand accountability for the remnants of the regime while ignoring massacres against Alawite civilians simply because of their sectarian affiliation. Iran and remnants of the regime are still meddling on the coast, but what happened in recent days is no different from Assad's crimes: barbaric attacks on Alawite villages, executions, looting, and the absence of any legitimate authority. There is no state in Syria today, only factions dividing power, and reality confirms that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (led by Ahmad al-Shar’a, aka "Abu Mohammed al-Golani") has been the actual ruler since Assad's fall. At the recent "Victory" conference, the dissolution of factions was announced, but what actually occurred was a redistribution of power, evidenced by groups still operating under their factional names. Some of these factions are involved in fighting outside Syria, in Libya and Azerbaijan, while al-Golani continues to strengthen his grip, deluding himself that he has gained "legitimacy" from those factions to preside over Syria. The Catastrophic Reality of Syria TodayAccording to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, Syria has economically regressed 40 years due to the war. The GDP has dropped by 50%, and the poverty rate jumped from 33% before the war to 90% currently, with 66% of Syrians living in extreme poverty. The energy sector is nearly collapsed, and the country would need 55 years to return to pre-war levels if growth continues at the current slow pace. But the tragedy is not only economic but also moral and humanitarian. The regime, whose crimes were documented in thousands of photos and videos, notably the Caesar photos revealing the bodies of detainees in Assad's prisons, was an example of organized crime. Today, we see the same scene repeating, but with different hands. The factions attacking the Syrian coast under the pretext of pursuing remnants of the regime are documenting killings of civilians and even showcasing these crimes in clips that suggest a relish for violence, as if Syria has learned nothing from its tragedy. What Next?If there is a genuine intention for justice, it must start by holding all perpetrators of massacres accountable, regardless of their affiliations. There can be no transitional justice without comprehensive accountability. If we desire civil peace, there must be a national dialogue that brings together all Syrians, away from factionalism and sectarianism. What we are witnessing today is the natural result of 14 years of killing and destruction, where hatred has terrifyingly spread among Syrians. What to Do?Immediate cessation of sectarian crimes on the coast and withdrawal of all armed factions. Immediate protection for civilians from any sectarian revenge. Declaration of national mourning and an impartial investigation into the recent massacres. Launching a genuine political process that does not reproduce tyranny but builds a state for all Syrians. We cannot overthrow a criminal regime only to reproduce the same bloodshed with new faces. Syria needs a state, not new warlords. Syria Today: A Country Divided Between Powers and InfluenceSyria remains divided into different zones of influence, each controlled by a regional or international power: Russia, America, Turkey, and Israel, all having military bases and direct influence, while local powers either continue conflicts or try to solidify their control in the absence of any inclusive national project. Syria can only rise from this quagmire by building a civilian state based on the law, not on sects and factions. The continuation of the logic of revenge and the reproduction of violence will only lead to more division and destruction. The fundamental question today is not who governs Syria, but how can Syria return to being a homeland for all Syrians?

🧵 (1/15) Imagine risking your life daily to document evidence of potential war crimes. That’s exactly what “Caesar” did—until he recently uncovered his true identity: First Warrant Officer Farid Al-Mazhhan, a Syrian from Daraa who once led forensic evidence at the Military Police in Damascus. His revelations offer a rare glimpse into the brutal inner workings of the Syrian regime’s detention system.

Thread (1/20) 🧵 Imagine being forced to deny a chemical weapons attack in your own hometown—just to keep your family alive. That’s what happened to Dr Yasser Munir Abdulmajid, a Syrian surgeon from Douma, who describes how Russian officials and the Syrian regime compelled him to deliver a false narrative about the April 2018 Douma chemical attack. 📷© Three Syrians, on the right, at The Hague as part of Russia attempts to discredit reports of the 7 April chemical weapons attack on Douma. Photograph: Peter Dejong/AP

🧵Imagine a man once recognised as an al Qaeda-linked jihadist, wearing a turban and military fatigues, who now appears in a suit and tie, presiding in Syria’s presidential palace. This remarkable transformation is at the heart of Robin Yassin-Kassab’s insightful article. He guides us through the dramatic shifts that occurred after Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed, revealing new possibilities — and new dangers — for Syria. This piece is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the country’s complexities and where it might be headed.

🧵 1️⃣ ⚠️ Eastern Syria is at a critical turning point! An unprecedented mix of military build-ups, new government strategies in Damascus, and shifting alliances among Kurdish forces, Turkey, and the US-led Coalition threatens to rewrite the region’s entire power dynamic. Here’s a concise look at the key developments shaping the future.

🧵 1️⃣ “What happens next in Syria once Assad is gone?” That’s the central question posed by Kacem El Ghazzali in his NZZ article. The country’s fragmentation into various ethnic and religious groups suggests a form of democratic federalism might be on the table. But the past demonstrates a stubborn reality: Islam and democracy rarely align seamlessly.

🧵 1: Overview Years before Assad's regime fell, reports like Amnesty International’s ‘Stop the Torture and Horror in Syria’s Prisons’ (2016) ©AI and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) ©SNHR 2019 documentation of 72 torture methods across 50 detention centers exposed unimaginable brutality. Now, with newly uncovered images post-collapse in December 2024, the world finally sees how deeply entrenched this system was. #Syria #HumanRights Source: ©AI, ©SNHR

“The Nazis didn’t take individual pictures of their victims. Assad did.” In a 2021 @60Minutes episode, Stephen Rapp revealed how the Assad regime meticulously documented its crimes, surpassing even the Nazis at Nuremberg in evidence. “If Assad gets away with impunity … the future will be much more dangerous,” Rapp warned. Now, Assad has fallen and resides in Moscow. Justice must prevail to prevent history from repeating itself. Watch the clip. 👇 #Syria #HumanRights #Justice

🧵 1️⃣🚨 Who is Syria’s Justice Minister, and why is he at the center of controversy? Shadi Al-Waisi, currently serving as Syria's Interim Justice Minister, was reportedly involved in overseeing the death penalty for women accused of adultery and prostitution in January 2015. The executions were carried out under Al-Nusra Front’s application of Sharia law in Idlib. The first video shows Al-Waisi in Hafsarja, Idlib, sentencing a woman to death while standing above her. ⚠️ Watch the video +18 📽️© @RamiJarrah

🧵 The Curriculum Controversy in Syria 1️⃣ Initial Backlash A storm of criticism emerged among Syrians after the interim Ministry of Education announced amendments to the curricula. The changes, posted on the Ministry's Facebook page, affected subjects from first grade to the third year of secondary school. While some deletions targeted content glorifying the ousted regime, intense backlash arose over the replacement of materials with a Salafi Islamic approach to history. Images: © Chris McGrath

To understand the transformation of Ahmad al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Julani) and his role in shaping post-Assad Syria, we revisit a pivotal 2021 PBS documentary. Martin Smith’s Frontline interview offers rare insights into Julani’s journey, rivalries, and ambitions. 🧵