World must now help Syria achieve the original aim of 2011 Arab Spring uprisings

Thirteen years ago, amid the optimism of the Arab Spring, the people of Syria took to the streets in huge numbers to call for democracy. Earlier that year, Tunisia’s ‘Jasmine Revolution’ had prompted that country’s dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to flee the country.

However, Syria’s president, Bashar Assad, chose a different path, sending in his soldiers to kill unarmed civilians who dared to question his rule. In the resulting civil war, more than 500,000 people died and 12 million more became refugees.

During this bloody conflict, Russia and Iran propped up Assad, while the country also saw the rise of rebel Islamist militia groups, some with links to al-Qaida. One such group was Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which led the coalition of forces that finally ousted the bloodthirsty Assad.

A Syrian Kurd in the city of Qamishli celebrates the fall of capital Damascus to rebel forces (Picture: Delil Souleiman) | AFP via Getty Images

Vision of freedom

Currently banned in the UK, HTS actually severed its links to al-Qaida years ago, and there is hope that its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, will adopt a moderate approach. UK Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said that al-Golani had been “saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people's rights”.

While HTS’s intentions remain unclear and we must remain sceptical – the Taliban have become increasingly repressive since taking over Afghanistan – there is nothing inherently contradictory about democracy and Islam. The hope, therefore, is that Syria will now be able to embrace the vision of freedom that inspired the original Arab Spring uprising.

However, with some outside forces opposed to Syrian democracy, such as Russia and Iran, it may well need help from other parts of the world if it is to have any chance of doing so. Given Donald Trump’s isolationist tendencies, that may not come from the US, so the UK and European Union should be ready to step up.

This is not about trying to enforce a new system of government on Syria, but offering help where it is needed. A stable democracy needs a stable economy.

Assad’s downfall gives hope to millions of Syrians. It is a chance to set them free after decades of tyranny. The world must do what it can to make that happen.