Under Mr Assad Syria sank from middle-income status to abject poverty. Women saw branches off trees for heating. Children scavenge in dumpsters for food. Men pull copper wire from buildings and telecoms cables to sell. The government is broke and banks are running out of cash. “The economy is tanking,” says one of Mr Sharaa’s advisers.

Outstanding issues between Damascus, the armed Druze groups, and the SDF can likely be resolved through protracted negotiations and mutual willingness to compromise.

Latakia: Syrian security forces killed 28 supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. According to a foreign news agency, fighters loyal to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attacked government forces in the town of Jabla in Latakia province on Thursday.