Quentin Somerville

Many here are in wheelchairs and are in the grip of addiction.

Many here are in wheelchairs and are in the grip of addiction.

She prepares a pot of soup and shares it with 56-year-old John. He was revived from a near-fatal fentanyl overdose by an ambulance crew. It'll take more than just targeting the cartels to solve America's opioid crisis, he says.

She prepares a pot of soup and shares it with 56-year-old John. He was revived from a near-fatal fentanyl overdose by an ambulance crew. It'll take more than just targeting the cartels to solve America's opioid crisis, he says.

The green transition will continue.

The green transition will continue.

It's hard really to do justice to the sense of bewilderment that's being felt about how quickly the Assad regime has fallen and the rebels have taken over this country. And that bewilderment is felt most sharply here in the Alawite heartland, the former Assad stronghold of Latakia. I'm walking right now past the statue of Hafez al-Assad. It's just his boots remaining.

It's hard really to do justice to the sense of bewilderment that's being felt about how quickly the Assad regime has fallen and the rebels have taken over this country. And that bewilderment is felt most sharply here in the Alawite heartland, the former Assad stronghold of Latakia. I'm walking right now past the statue of Hafez al-Assad. It's just his boots remaining.

The rest was pulled down by protesters. Where it stands now, there is the new Syrian flag with the green banner and the three stars rather than two. It's a transformation. I'm walking along here among the crowd with his two sons. Ismazim, hello.

The rest was pulled down by protesters. Where it stands now, there is the new Syrian flag with the green banner and the three stars rather than two. It's a transformation. I'm walking along here among the crowd with his two sons. Ismazim, hello.

And what do you think about the Assad family?

And what do you think about the Assad family?

When I turned my microphone off, Mazem had more to say. The Assads were terrible people, he said, but he pointed to his two sons. He said, you don't understand the terror we were under here. I couldn't even tell my sons the truth for fear that they would make a mistake and would be revealed for criticising them. It's worth remembering the Assad's rule by fear, even over their own supporters.

When I turned my microphone off, Mazem had more to say. The Assads were terrible people, he said, but he pointed to his two sons. He said, you don't understand the terror we were under here. I couldn't even tell my sons the truth for fear that they would make a mistake and would be revealed for criticising them. It's worth remembering the Assad's rule by fear, even over their own supporters.

They said there would be massacres here in Latakia if they ever lost power. Well, instead, around me there are celebrations. A big crowd gathering just as prayers end in celebration of this astonishing victory. This was a regime that was so venal, so corrupt, that even its supporters suffered. The Alawites too are some of the poorest people in Syria.

They said there would be massacres here in Latakia if they ever lost power. Well, instead, around me there are celebrations. A big crowd gathering just as prayers end in celebration of this astonishing victory. This was a regime that was so venal, so corrupt, that even its supporters suffered. The Alawites too are some of the poorest people in Syria.

So there's a real sense of joy here today, but there's also an undercurrent of fear. Some haven't even left their homes since the regime change because they worry that there will be a reckoning and that they will have to pay a heavy price for the support of the old regime. This is Latakia's military intelligence branch, perhaps the most feared place in the city. It's in a bit of a state now.

So there's a real sense of joy here today, but there's also an undercurrent of fear. Some haven't even left their homes since the regime change because they worry that there will be a reckoning and that they will have to pay a heavy price for the support of the old regime. This is Latakia's military intelligence branch, perhaps the most feared place in the city. It's in a bit of a state now.

The portraits of Bashar al-Assad have been torn down. There's one on the floor. They've even removed the eyes. Locals would avoid passing the gates of here. It was so feared. Now, in this courtyard, our young men, they're HTS fighters. They're now the law here. A woman's made a complaint to the police. She says that her apartment has been stolen from her.

The portraits of Bashar al-Assad have been torn down. There's one on the floor. They've even removed the eyes. Locals would avoid passing the gates of here. It was so feared. Now, in this courtyard, our young men, they're HTS fighters. They're now the law here. A woman's made a complaint to the police. She says that her apartment has been stolen from her.