Life on the Frontlines: Account of a Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Fighter

The war in Syria has now lasted for more than 11 years, but the majority of its days have not consisted of active battles. As time passes, this observation will be even more valid if there is maintenance of the status quo since the spring of 2020, when a ceasefire arrangement for northwest Syria was established between Turkey and Russia, ending the most recent major military campaign. The reality of most of the war has been and still is ‘ribat’: that is, maintenance of the frontlines and keeping on the lookout for enemy movements. This ribat in the present time is sometimes punctuated by skirmishes and exchanges of fire, but not active battles.