The US missile strikes on Shayrat airfield last Friday in retaliation to the 4th April Sarin gas attack on Khan Sheikhdom town have caused changes in hopes, worries and opinions of Syrian people, depending on their attitude from the Syrian regime, some started to build hopes, while other felt of the risk.
In coastal Latakia city, people’s attitude toward the end of the Syrian war has changed after the Tomahawk missile attack , while opposition had been pessimistic, especially after the chemical attack on Khan Shikhoun, as they had thought the 2013’s scenario after the chemical attack on Eastern Ghouta would be repeated because the Syrian regime was not punished and the UN security council had been not able to do any thing apart from starting an investigation.
On the other hand, people in pro-regime area started worrying and it as noticed moving to live in villages and countryside and Lebanon has increased.
Activist Mohammed al-Sahimi collected opinions of many people in Latakia about the change in people’s hopes about war. Dr. Ahmed.M expressed that the Syrian regime has now been held responsibility for all war crimes committed in Syria, either chemical or other methods of killing.
The doctor found that describing Bashar a-Assad as “an animal” and “truly an evil person” by the American President Donald Trump is a crucial change in recent stage, which means that the USA would lead the International Community, either with Russian agreement or without to deal with the Syrian regime, as he would not let “an animal” to rule a country, and leaving him as a president to Syria would contradict with his promise to American people to return the prestige of their country in the world.
Al-Sahili observed the changes in faces and way of talking. For example, in a café in the opposition district of Sheikh Dhaher he noticed the change in people’s expectations about the end of the war, as most of people thought that change and overthrowing al-Assad sould be part of the solution, added to punishing criminals by law, and returning the stolen money and compensate affected people.
On the other hand, in the pro-regime side of the city, the yesterday’s optimism of victory and long stay of the Syrian regime, have turned into pessimism. Even the attitude from the regime has been change among simple residents, instead of expressing their readiness to sacrifice their lives and their sons’ lives to keep al-Assad on the head of the regime, they started to feel that they have lost their sons and future for a conflict between the Syrian regime and opposition which does not have any benefits on them, according to Sheikh Mohamood al-Saleh from al-Ramel al-Shamali.
Al-Sahili revealed that changes in the way of dealing with the opposition has been changed as well, as a group of doctors, lawyers and other prominent Alawite figures have started many initiatives for rapprochement with the people who were considered in the opposition’s side, by visiting them in their offices, clinics and sitting to them in cafes. Al-Mahaba meeting was one of initiative took place on April 11, were opposition and pro-regime people met in Spiro café to discuss about ways to achieve the social cohesion.
In the same period, rumors have spread in Latakia about attempts of families connected to the regime to collect their money and sell their properties and turn them into gold and foreign currencies which brought pressure on the gold market in the city.
Moreover, it was noticed that many pro-regime families returned to their villages in countryside of Latakia and Jableh.
It was reported that the gold and foreign currency market was not able to cover the needs of many giant traders, prominent officials and officers, and arms traders
