General · 7 December 2025
Syria's leader criticised for authoritarian rule
One year after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa faces mounting criticism over governance failures and minority protection. The former jihadist leader has gained international recognition and sanctions relief, yet analysts highlight his bypassing of institutions for personal control structures. Sectarian violence has erupted, particularly against Alawite and Druze communities, while regional factions seek autonomy. Despite pragmatic diplomacy with Western leaders including Trump, al-Sharaa struggles with national unity and establishing state monopoly on force across the fragmented territory.
Reported by Reuters · How we write briefs