A deadly raid tests a revolutionary town’s faith in Syria’s new government

Syrian security forces raided homes and shops in Rankous on 22 October, detaining 45 people and killing five, in an operation that has shaken a town long associated with the uprising against Bashar al-Assad. The government said those killed had links to Islamic State and extremist beliefs; residents said three were unarmed and two fired on security forces, killing two of their members. The raid has deepened local grief and mistrust as residents question their place in Syria’s post-Assad order.

Rankous former rebels say they have been sidelined from the new army and left without support to rebuild after returning from exile in December 2024. The article describes a town that lost many people in the war and now feels underrepresented in state institutions. It also notes that such grievances could be exploited by Islamic State, while reports of a local factional dispute linked to the raid were denied by people named in the claims.