In the early hours of Saturday morning, as the city of Aleppo slumbered, a seismic shift was underway. Uniformed fighters, not belonging to the Syrian army, quietly infiltrated neighborhoods in the western part of the city. Residents, jolted awake by the sudden presence of these mysterious militants, peered out from their balconies in disbelief. Little did they know, their lives were about to be upended in ways they could scarcely imagine.
Nasma, a long-time resident of Aleppo who requested anonymity for her safety, recounted the surreal moment when her husband alerted her to the presence of these fighters. “We had lost hope of something like this ever happening, so we refused to believe it at first,” she confessed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and cautious optimism. “It felt like a distant dream.”
A City Caught Off Guard
The militants, largely from the notorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, swiftly seized control of much of the city, encountering little resistance from government forces loyal to Damascus. Aleppo, once a vibrant metropolis and the industrial heart of Syria, found itself in the grip of Islamist rule overnight. Shocked residents, many of whom had weathered years of brutal conflict, now faced a new kind of uncertainty.
According to sources close to the situation, the streets of Aleppo were eerily empty in the early hours of the takeover, save for the roaming bands of uniformed fighters who gathered under the ancient citadel. They rapidly established their presence, leaving residents unsure of what life would be like under their newfound authority.
Fears of Reprisals and the Unknown
For many Aleppans, the sudden shift in power brought with it a palpable sense of dread. Fearing reprisals from Damascus, families like Nasma’s frantically packed their belongings, preparing to flee the city at a moment’s notice. The road south to Homs, still under Syrian regime control, seemed too treacherous to navigate as the fighting edged closer. Instead, they were left in a state of anxious limbo, desperately seeking information through social media and whispered messages from loved ones scattered across the city.
The militants, perhaps sensing the unease among the populace, attempted to reassure residents that their families and property would be protected. Loudspeakers, normally reserved for the call to prayer, crackled to life with messages urging people to remain in their homes. Yet, the specter of retaliatory airstrikes by Damascus and its allies loomed large, a fear that was soon realized when a strike rocked the city center near the entrance of Aleppo University Hospital.
“The airstrike targeted the middle of Aleppo … We believe 30 were killed and more injured. The hospital there is not working and there are no medics working there,” lamented Yemn Sayed Issa, a humanitarian worker whose ambulances were damaged in the attack.
The Specter of HTS Rule
As the dust settled, attention turned to what life might look like under the rule of HTS, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. The group’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, had previously governed neighboring Idlib province with a complex mix of pragmatism and extremism. While he had made overtures to minority groups and sought to demonstrate his ability to govern, critics accused HTS of ruthlessly suppressing dissent.
For the diverse tapestry of communities that call Aleppo home, the prospect of Islamist rule raised troubling questions. The city’s Christian population, in particular, found themselves in a precarious position. Archbishop Afram Maalouli urged his flock to exercise caution, even as he vowed that prayers would continue in their ancient churches, “subject to circumstance.”
A City’s Resilience Put to the Test
Yet, even in the face of this seismic upheaval, the people of Aleppo displayed a remarkable resilience. Nasma, reflecting on the city’s rich history and cultural heritage, mused, “I believe that it is the people of Aleppo who force the system of governance to adapt to this city’s way of life, and not the other way around.” It was a sentiment echoed by many, a quiet defiance in the face of an uncertain future.
As the international community watched with bated breath, Aleppo found itself once again at the center of a geopolitical maelstrom. The city, scarred by years of war and destruction, now embarked on a new chapter, one fraught with challenges and questions that would test the mettle of its people. For the residents of this ancient metropolis, the road ahead was shrouded in uncertainty, but their determination to persevere, to cling to the hope of a better tomorrow, remained unshakable.
