Syria: “International community must not alienate moderates"

Rebel forces have toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Professor Harmonie Toros, Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading, comments: “Like many non-state armed groups, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has different factions - some more ideological and some more moderate than others. 

“There has been an ongoing attempt by HTS to present its more moderate side as we have seen from the statements in the past few days. Key questions remain, but the international community and key Western powers must identify and support moderate factions within the movement. 

“In other contexts, we have seen that continuing dialogue with rebel groups has helped to moderate them. Stigmatising them and considering them as beyond the pale by proscribing them as terrorist groups and imposing sanctions often makes progress difficult.”