"When they took over Aleppo, they reassured members of minority groups that they would allow them to coexist," Chrissie Steenkamp, an associate professor in Social and Political Change at UK's Oxford Brookes University, told DW. "HTS do like to portray themselves as being not quite as oppressive to minority groups and other religions."
"Over this time, HTS has been opening up to religious minorities," Jerome Drevon, an International Crisis Group analyst said. This indicates a shift in their approach amidst ongoing conflict.
Estimates show that Syria's population comprises around 70% Sunni Muslims, 13% Shia Muslims, and various other ethnic and religious minorities, reflecting the country's complex demographic landscape.
Syria has endured nearly 14 years of civil war, resulting in half a million deaths and shattered community dynamics, leaving the fate of minorities precarious in conflict zones.
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