But there were complaints of what was seen as heavy-handed rule by the authorities. When we visited earlier this week, streets were relatively clean, traffic lights and lamp-posts worked, and officers were present in the busiest areas.

How the rebels governed Idlib offers insight into how they might rule Syria. Experts and residents of Idlib describe their governance as pragmatic and influenced by internal and external pressure. However,

Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has governed in Idlib, northwest Syria, since 2017. Now that the Assad regime has fallen at the hands of the Islamist group, could Idlib be a model for Syria's future governance?

On the second floor of the Shababeek cafe, overlooking the clock tower square in the city of Idlib, the side reserved for men was empty recently except for two young men nursing cups of Turkish coffee.