Sebastian Usher

Last night I was at a New Year's Eve party, which was moving, as so many things have been, to watch people who haven't, in some cases, met each other for many years –

Last night I was at a New Year's Eve party, which was moving, as so many things have been, to watch people who haven't, in some cases, met each other for many years –

thinking they would never be able to do so, if at all, in Damascus, in Syria, suddenly there, on New Year's Eve, and the embraces, the hugs, the surprise on some people's faces at who had shown up, film directors who'd gone into exile, actors, similar journalists, being imprisoned.

thinking they would never be able to do so, if at all, in Damascus, in Syria, suddenly there, on New Year's Eve, and the embraces, the hugs, the surprise on some people's faces at who had shown up, film directors who'd gone into exile, actors, similar journalists, being imprisoned.

Now back, this sense that on every street corner, these people who are back to experience this heady moment might bump into someone who they hadn't seen for so long.

Now back, this sense that on every street corner, these people who are back to experience this heady moment might bump into someone who they hadn't seen for so long.

Yes. I mean, obviously, the Alawites, the community to which the Assads belonged and which, you know, to a lesser or greater extent, benefited perhaps most from their rule over in the West. I mean, we've seen unrest there. We've seen issues, as you would expect there. Not yet on a level that I think would really cause imminent fear in people in Syria or outside. But there's that.

Yes. I mean, obviously, the Alawites, the community to which the Assads belonged and which, you know, to a lesser or greater extent, benefited perhaps most from their rule over in the West. I mean, we've seen unrest there. We've seen issues, as you would expect there. Not yet on a level that I think would really cause imminent fear in people in Syria or outside. But there's that.

Then other communities you were mentioning, I think two of the key communities who would feel they have... something to lose in the change of leadership, the Christians and the Kurds.

Then other communities you were mentioning, I think two of the key communities who would feel they have... something to lose in the change of leadership, the Christians and the Kurds.

And Ahmad al-Sharif, a de facto leader, the man who's headed HTS, the one-time jihadist group that he is certainly in public made much more moderate, was once again in the last two or three days giving signals, and I say these are signals rather than actions at the moment, that his rhetoric

And Ahmad al-Sharif, a de facto leader, the man who's headed HTS, the one-time jihadist group that he is certainly in public made much more moderate, was once again in the last two or three days giving signals, and I say these are signals rather than actions at the moment, that his rhetoric

that he wants to see a Syria that's once again united, one in which all communities feel they have a stake, that was backed up by these meetings. So he met high-level Christian clergy and gave them assurances.

that he wants to see a Syria that's once again united, one in which all communities feel they have a stake, that was backed up by these meetings. So he met high-level Christian clergy and gave them assurances.

that although he has an Islamist background, although the majority of the rebel factions, as they were then, that came in to Damascus and took over, had that ideology, that it's not going to necessarily be overpowering. They're going to allow people to continue to live in the way that they are accustomed to and that their own culture leads them to.

that although he has an Islamist background, although the majority of the rebel factions, as they were then, that came in to Damascus and took over, had that ideology, that it's not going to necessarily be overpowering. They're going to allow people to continue to live in the way that they are accustomed to and that their own culture leads them to.

And then the Kurds, which I think is the most imminent pressing problem, perhaps... who control much of the Northeast, who are backed by the U.S., who were absolutely vital in the defeat of ISIS territorially years ago. We've heard a slightly more confrontational aspect of things to do with them. The SDF, the

And then the Kurds, which I think is the most imminent pressing problem, perhaps... who control much of the Northeast, who are backed by the U.S., who were absolutely vital in the defeat of ISIS territorially years ago. We've heard a slightly more confrontational aspect of things to do with them. The SDF, the

Kurdish-led forces, which are now, I think, virtually all Kurds who control that area, are seen by Turkey, which has given absolutely crucial backing to HDS, Apen Arshara's group, as a terrorist offshoot of the PKK, the Kurdish separative movement in Turkey.

Kurdish-led forces, which are now, I think, virtually all Kurds who control that area, are seen by Turkey, which has given absolutely crucial backing to HDS, Apen Arshara's group, as a terrorist offshoot of the PKK, the Kurdish separative movement in Turkey.