Barely 48 hours since opposition forces including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept into Damascus and forced out President Bashar al-Assad, the top UN negotiator tasked with helping the Syrian people to create a peaceful and democratic future insisted that nothing could be taken for granted.

"Syria is now at a crossroads with great opportunities for us, but also with grave risks. And we need really to look at both," said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. "We know that, of course, HTS is now the dominant group in control of Damascus, but it's important also to remember that they are not the only armed group in Damascus."

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