Three months after the fall of Assad

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After 13 years of civil war, a transitional government is now in charge in Syria, led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Islamist rebel group – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS. Syria is home to many different religious and ethnic groups and some fear that more conservative members of HTS could influence government policy. Nor is the fighting over. Forces linked to the new government have been battling Assad loyalists in in the port cities of Latakia and Tartous, where dozens of people are reported to have been killed. In our conversations, two women discuss new freedoms but also share fears about safety and women’s rights. “We are free now,” says Souad. “We can speak and share, we are not afraid of each other, that one of us is a spy or a snitch...if one of us wanted to express an opinion, we could be arrested.” Before the civil war, Syria was a globally popular tourist destination and, over the past few weeks, international airlines have resumed flights into the country. We bring together three tour guides to share what the country has to offer visitors. We also hear from two refugees, who have returned to the country to reunite with their families. Presenter: Mark Lowen BBC producers: Virginia Kelly, Iqra Farooq and Laura Cress Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham (Photo: Rita in Syria. Credit: Rita) An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the OS team.