Activists in Idlib have called for the “Salvation” and “Interim” administrations in the governorate to be dissolved, due to the “chaos” which the region is witnessing and the stifling of civilian organisations.
In a letter released on Wednesday 26 September, activists called for the two bodies to be dissolved due to “the complete failure of the one-party administrations of the Salvation and Interim governments in providing services to civilians and improving living conditions”.
The letter also accused the administrations of “exclusionary and overbearing practices, restricting popular activities as well as organisations and local councils, and exercising domination over the work of civilian groups for over a year”.
The activists said that the governorate must be committed to forming an administration bringing together all civilian activities in opposition-held areas, without any exclusion or discrimination. This administration “must be carried out by competent Revolutionary parties using their position to advance civilian life throughout the region”.
The statement comes a week after a deal was reached between Russia and Turkey regarding Idlib, which specified the establishment of a demilitarised zone between areas controlled by Assad’s forces and opposition factions.
The agreement came after Syrian regime military forces had gathered on the outskirts of Idlib Governorate with the intention of beginning a military campaign which it was said would be the “largest” of those carried out during Syria’s conflict.
Enab Baladi obtained an audio recording of one of the above activists, who said that the writers’ names did not appear in their letter out of fear of a campaign of arrests targeting them.
The activist said that civilian organisations in Idlib currently include activists which are influential in applying pressure to disband the two governments and forming a new civilian body.
The statement called on all military factions in the region to not intervene in civilian activities and to distance factional tensions from civil institutions in order that comprehensive civilian development and prosperity could be achieved.
The Turkish affairs analyst Nasser Turkmani had said the previous week via his Facebook account that “there has become almost no reason for the existence of the two governments – the “Salvation” and the “Interim” – in rebel-held areas”.
Turkmani added that “we will soon see steps toward an administration emerging which represents all opposition parties in Syria, and which will be more institutionalized and more supportive” of civilian life.
In terms of security, Idlib Governorate is currently experience a state of chaos, with substantial numbers of civilians and military personnel being killed on a regular basis.
The militant faction “Tahrir al-Sham” has accused cells belonging to ISIS of being behind this state of security chaos, and announced last May the launching of a security campaign against the group in several regions.