Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd in the Umayyad mosque in Damascus. (Aref Tammawi - AFP - Getty Images)
The Syrian Transitional Government continues to meet obstacles in its goal of a nationally united Syria after the Fall of Bashar al-Assad's Baathist regime on December 8th 2025. In the south of Syria the Druze minority sect continues to grow closer to Israel and has declared "autonomy" for the governorate of Sweida. In the coastal regions several anti-transitional government rebel groups have allied under the banner of the Syrian Islamic Resistance, including several militias that were allied to the Assad regime. In addition negotiations have once again stagnated between the Syrian Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces. The Transitional Government accused the SDF of holding a separatist conference while the SDF claims the Transitional Government continues to be undemocratic. Turkey has played a major role in this dispute pressuring the SDF to lay down its arms while also preparing the Transitional Government for a sustained offensive against SDF held areas in Northeastern Syria as arab tribesman have announced mobilization against the SDF.