The Islamist rebels who ousted Syria’s dictator ran a pragmatic and disciplined administration in the territory they controlled. They also jailed their critics.
Syrians take photographs with opposition fighters at Aleppo’s historic citadel after the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Getty
Every autumn, when farmers across the rolling, red dirt hills of Idlib province in northern Syria harvest their olive crops, they routinely find at least one representative of the local tax authority stationed at any oil press.
The tax collector takes at least 5 per cent of the oil, and farmers grouse that there are no exceptions, even in lean harvest years.
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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/world/middle-east/how-will-the-rebels-rule-syria-their-past-offers-clues-20241216-p5kyou