Islamist group running Syria has mixed record over governance in province, ruled with 'iron fist'
FOX NewsDEC 2024
Moving too quickly risks legitimizing an authoritarian leader who still concentrates enormous power and could suspend basic rights at will. Despite moderate rhetoric, HTS remains fundamentally Islamist, and recent sectarian tensions raise doubts about whether this transformation will stick long-term. The movement achieved victory through calculated gambles rather than genuine democratic principles.