A Taliban in Syria? : Recognition or Marginalization for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

Abstract

The Arab Spring has significantly altered the power landscape of the Middle East, and the recent fall of Assad—toppled by Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels - is just one more in a long line of power shifts that have occurred since 2011. Anti-government protests have taken place in more than a dozen Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, with Syria being the most recent to oust its long-standing regime. Here we consider the extent to which HTS has undergone moderation and de-radicalization, along with its aspirations for an inclusive political transition that seeks to uphold a diverse society. Alongside this assessment, we observe the complexities surrounding international recognition and the potential lifting of sanctions.