Hundreds of Syrian policemen trained in Turkey to provide security in Jarablus

For a lawless country embroiled in a long-running conflict, seeing a policeman on the streets ruled by camouflage-wearing fighters or soldiers loyal to Bashar Assad is a rarity in Syria. Jarablus, a small town in the north, close to the Turkish border, now swarms with police officers in their blue uniforms, instilling a sense of hope and security for the future in locals returning home.



The town was liberated by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) from the Daesh terrorist group and saw an influx of returnees, setting an example for how life could return to normal after the war. Turkey, a major supporter of opposition rights in their fight to take back towns from terrorists, also helps them rebuild the areas with aid. Law enforcement is one of them and some 450 policemen, either desk jockeys or elite anti-terror police officers, are trained in Turkey, which spearheaded Operation Euphrates Shield, a campaign to help opposition groups to liberate towns from Daesh.



Jarablus's fledgling population standing at about 30,000 still remains a challenge for police officers patrolling the streets with automatic rifles and with the assistance of the few remaining opposition fighters who help maintain law and order. But Abdurrazzak Aslan al-Laz, the town's police chief, is hopeful for better days. "Everyone in Jarablus will live in peace and safety. This is what we work around the clock for," he told Anadolu Agency.



Trained in traffic policing, patrols, maintaining public order and counterterror operations, police often set up checkpoints across the town, whose population swelled to its current number from roughly 3,500, as the town is still on alert against possible Daesh threats. Policemen also provide security for public buildings, from city hall to a renovated hospital. Then, there are petty crimes, from scuffles to theft. Soon, they will be entirely responsible for law and order as the FSA gradually departs to fight on other fronts of the lengthy civil war. "We want to make Jarablus more livable," al-Laz says. He says even seeing a patrolling policeman helps locals feel safe.