The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network, a counterterrorism expert explains.

The Islamist rebels who ousted Syria’s dictator ran a pragmatic and disciplined administration in the territory they controlled. They also jailed their critics.

Turkey has offered to give military training to the Islamist-led rebels governing Syria, as Ankara appears to be positioning itself to take a major role in the country’s future.

"It is necessary to see what the new administration will do. We think it is necessary to give them a chance," Guler said of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel alliance, which is rooted in Al-Qaeda's Syria branch and designated a "terrorist" organisation by many Western governments.