Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531100
11 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 JANUARY 2025 ĂůůĨŽƌƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶƐ dŚĞƌŽĂĚĐĂƐƚŝŶŐƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJŝƐƐĞĞŬŝŶŐƚŽĨŝůůƚŚĞƉŽƐƚŽĨ ŚŝĞĨdĞĐŚŶŝĐĂůKĨĨŝĐĞƌ ĚĞƚĂŝůĞĚ ũŽď ĚĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ ŝƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ĨŽƵŶĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŽĂĚĐĂƐƚŝŶŐ Authority'sǁĞďƐŝƚĞ͗ŚƚƚƉ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ďĂ͘ŽƌŐ͘ŵƚ͘ ƉƉůŝĐĂŶƚƐŵƵƐƚƐƵďŵŝƚĂůĞƚƚĞƌŽĨĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌǁŝƚŚĂĚĞƚĂŝůĞĚ ĐŽƉLJŽĨƚŚĞŝƌsďLJ͗ • ĞͲŵĂŝůƚŽĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƚŝŽŶ͘ďĂΛďĂ͘ŽƌŐ͘ŵƚ • ŶŽƚůĂƚĞƌƚŚĂŶŶŽŽŶ͕DŽŶĚĂLJϭϯƚŚ:ĂŶƵĂƌLJϮϬϮϱ >ĂƚĞĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶƐǁŝůůŶŽƚďĞĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĞĚ :ŽďƐWůƵƐWĞƌŵŝƚϵϵϳͬϮϬϮϰ dŚĞƌŽĂĚĐĂƐƚŝŶŐƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJŝƐĂĐŽŶƐƚŝƚƵƚŝŽŶĂůĞŶƚŝƚLJǁŚŝĐŚƌĞŐƵůĂƚĞƐ͕ůŝĐĞŶĐĞƐ ĂŶĚŵŽŶŝƚŽƌƐĂůůƌĂĚŝŽĂŶĚƚĞůĞǀŝƐŝŽŶďƌŽĂĚĐĂƐƚƐŽƌŝŐŝŶĂƚŝŶŐĨƌŽŵƚŚĞDĂůƚĞƐĞ /ƐůĂŶĚƐ͘ ƌŽĂĚĐĂƐƚŝŶŐƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ϳ͕DŝůĞŶĚZŽĂĚ͕ĦDZhEĦDZϭϳϭϵ͕DĂůƚĂ͘ dĞůĞƉŚŽŶĞ͗нϯϱϲϮϮϬϭϲϬϬϬ breathe free but millions remain displaced the situation is "catastrophic", es- pecially in the refugee camps. "Millions of internally displaced Syrians remain in dire need of food and medical aid and many continue to live in refugee camps, particularly in northwestern Syr- ia, which was a stronghold of armed opposition forces," Bassiki says. He speaks to this newspaper at the turn of the year, just three weeks after the fall of the Assad regime at the hands of opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sh- am. He notes that the new transi- tional government has received support and messages of en- dorsement from various Ar- ab countries, particularly the wealthy Gulf states. But of note is the pledge made by Ukraine, which is still trying to push back a three-year-old Russian invasion. "Ukraine, a new ally of the gov- ernment, has pledged 500 tonnes of wheat as humanitarian aid fol- lowing the cessation of Russian supplies," Bassiki says, adding Ukraine announced the resump- tion of diplomatic ties with Syria. Russia was a key ally of Assad, propping up the regime with weapons and assistance. Russia also has two military bases in Syria, including a maritime base which gives it direct access to the Mediterranean. Bassiki says the past few weeks have uncovered the magnitude of the atrocities perpetrated by the regime to suppress opposition and dissent. "The collapse of the regime and Bashar al-Assad's escape revealed horrifying cases of detainees in former regime-controlled pris- ons, especially the infamous Sed- naya Prison and other Syrian in- telligence facilities," he says. On the security front, he notes that the new Syrian government has begun restructuring internal security, appointing a new head of Syrian intelligence. Mean- while, armed opposition forces are pursuing remnants of re- gime forces in remaining pockets along Syria's coastal areas, which had been a recruitment base for regime fighters throughout the Syrian revolution. There have been multiple calls from various quarters within Syr- ia for the new government to be inclusive. The country is a com- plex tapestry of different religions and ethnicities. "Concerns about the poten- tial exclusion of Syria's minority groups in the new regime have been continuously denied by the new administration's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa," Bassiki says, noting that an inclusive Syrian government is a prerequisite for Western recognition and the eventual lifting of European and American sanctions. But hope is being pinned on a what is being called a national di- alogue conference that is expect- ed to be held in the coming days. Bassiki says the conference will bring around 1,200 representa- tives from across Syria together to form a committee responsible for managing the next phase. "This may include the potential dissolution of Hayat Tahrir al-Sh- am, the suspension of the former parliament (People's Assembly), and the suspension of the exist- ing constitution," he says. As Syrians navigate the new wa- ters ahead, there is hope that af- ter 13 years of civil war a different country can be born; a country that for the first time in half cen- tury is able to breathe free even if the air is heavy with suffering. Syrian refugees in a UNHCR camp. Millions of internally displaced Syrians are living in refugee camps. (Photo: Karl Schembri) Mohammed Bassiki is a Syrian investigative journalist Syrians celebrated freedom after the Assad regime was toppled in December