The reception room of the Ministry of Defense, Omayyads Square, in Damascus. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury/L'Orient Le-Jour)
In an upscale hotel in the heart of Damascus, Mohammad Faisal is sought after from all directions. A seasoned French journalist, a frequent visitor to Syria who interviewed Bashar al-Assad years ago, requests a meeting. A Christian doctor praises his management of minority issues. A volunteer, struggling to find insulin amid shortages, reaches out, hoping to connect with someone in the new administration. Meanwhile, Faisal's phone buzzes incessantly, a flood of messages mostly from journalists eager to access Syria's newly reshuffled power structures. Surrounded by such demands, the activist, in his forties, finds himself somewhat overwhelmed by the whirlwind of activity. Between meetings and media interviews, his time is scarce. His family remains in Idlib, a life he left behind. Now, it is Damascus that claims his attention —...
In an upscale hotel in the heart of Damascus, Mohammad Faisal is sought after from all directions. A seasoned French journalist, a frequent visitor to Syria who interviewed Bashar al-Assad years ago, requests a meeting. A Christian doctor praises his management of minority issues. A volunteer, struggling to find insulin amid shortages, reaches out, hoping to connect with someone in the new administration. Meanwhile, Faisal's phone buzzes incessantly, a flood of messages mostly from journalists eager to access Syria's newly reshuffled power structures. Surrounded by such demands, the activist, in his forties, finds himself somewhat overwhelmed by the whirlwind of activity. Between meetings and media interviews, his time is scarce. His family remains in Idlib, a life he left behind. Now, it is Damascus that claims his attention...