Overview

• Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former jihadist commander, has emerged as Syria’s de facto leader following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
• President Trump announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria after meeting al-Sharaa in Riyadh, triggering a 25% surge in the Syrian pound and paving the way for Gulf investment.
• Al-Sharaa’s transitional government has centralized power under a constitutional declaration, delaying elections for up to five years and raising fears of authoritarianism.
• Human rights groups report government-affiliated militias have targeted Alawite and other minority communities, with over 1,400 Alawites killed in reprisal attacks.
• Islamist militias aligned with al-Sharaa’s regime are enforcing religious norms, including a deadly attack on a Damascus nightclub, signaling shrinking personal freedoms.