Is Syria embracing sharia?

​Syria's police force.
Syria's police force.
Reuters
As it struggles to rebuild Syria’s police force and maintain law and order, the new regime of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, isintegrating Islamic teachings in the training of recruits. Applicants are being asked about their religious beliefs and receiving instruction in sharia law, a move officers say is designed to instill a sense of morality. Authorities cite concerns about the corruption and violence endemic in Bashar Assad’s notorious security forces.

Yes, this is raising eyebrowsin diplomatic circles, with some expressing fear it could presage a larger role of Islamic law in Syria’s future constitution and governance. Such an emphasis would deepen divisions between religious hardliners and minority populations while also jeopardizing relations with Western governments. The focus on sharia has deterred some potential recruits, particularly Alawites, Christians, and Druze, as well as secular Syrians, from applying.

Syria’s police force faces overwhelming challenges: Stations ransacked after Assad’s fall are now sparsely staffed, and crime is rampant. The recruitment drive has drawn over 200,000 applicants, but only 500 officers have graduated so far. Training currently lasts just 10 days, focusing on weapons and religious principles, and there are plans to extend it as security improves. We’ll be watching whetherthe emphasis on sharia fades — or grows — as HTS consolidates control.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

If China, Japan, and South Korea formed a united front, what kind of leverage would they have in negotiating against US tariffs? I think they are heading in that trajectory. The question is, will it be enough to keep Syria stable and away from descending into civil war? Why does Trump want to take Greenland? Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.

President Donald Trump, seen here on the South Lawn of the White House in February, is set to unveil his "Liberation Day" tariffs.

REUTERS/Craig Hudson

T-Day has arrived. On Wednesday afternoon, Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on US trade partners will take effect immediately after a Rose Garden announcement.

A giant screen in Beijing shows news footage about the People's Liberation Army (PLA) joint army, navy, air and rocket forces drills around Taiwan on April 1, 2025.
REUTERS/Florence Lo

Beijing conducted one of the largest and most provocative military drills ever around the island -- but why now?

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a briefing, Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 28, 2025.
Ukrinform/ABACA via Reuters Connect

Vladimir Putin insists that Volodymyr Zelensky is no longer Ukraine’s legitimate president because his government has imposed martial law and delayed elections that were due in 2024.

President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office flanked by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the day he signed executive orders for reciprocal tariffs, Feb. 13, 2025.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Details of a group chat between senior administration officials that leaked last week – the so-called Houthi PC small group – provide allies, adversaries, and watchers with revealing insights into the administration’s foreign policy blueprint. Lindsay Newman explores the takeaways.

Proud Source became a Walmart supplier in 2021. Today, its team has grown by 50%, and it's the largest employer in Mackay, ID. Walmart supports small businesses across the country, and nearly two-thirds of Walmart's product spend is on products made, grown, or assembled in America. It’s all a part of Walmart’s $350 billion investment in US manufacturing, which helps small businesses grow and supports US jobs. Learn more about Walmart’s commitment to US manufacturing.

As Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with company cofounder Bill Gates for a special episode of Tools and Weapons. They discuss Gates’ new memoir, "Source Code: My Beginnings," reflect on Microsoft’s impact over the past five decades, and explore why the next phase of the digital revolution is shaping up to be the most exciting yet. Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.