Author: Unknown
Published on: 09/01/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
Maydani, Abdulrahman, and Ahmad were all students when protests erupted across Syria and the broader region in 2011. All three of them joined the revolution, all three were imprisoned, and all were forced to flee. Even after his release, Maidani was gripped by fear of re-arrest. “When I got out of prison, I was always afraid to walk in the street so that they would arrest me,” said Ahmad. Ahmad travelled from Italy to settle in Germany, which welcomed up to 850,000 Syrian refugees. Having trained as a dentist, Maydani now lives with his wife and children and runs a taxi company while his partner is retraining. A month ago, the name Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) was relatively unknown in international circles, as was that of its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Since marching to victory in December, HTS has been trying to play down its controversial past and present itself as inclusive and moderate. He also insisted he supported women’s rights. A group of more than 300 Syrian women sent a letter to UN General Secretary Antonio Gueterres stating, “we do not accept the stark absence of women leaders in the transitional government or to be excluded from international discussions” Ahmad and Abdulrahman both recognise the fears around HTS, with Ahmad admitting he was hopeful but “a little bit worried” about developments. Al-Sharaa suggested elections could take up to four years. Ahmad also pointed out that many refugee children left Syria before they could feel rooted. But these aren’t insurmountable issues, according to Maydani.
Original: 1321 words
Summary: 266 words
Percent reduction: 79.86%