This paper explores civil governance in the Syrian war. By civil governance I refer to governance by civil actors in areas controlled by armed, rebel groups. I ask, how have local councils in opposition-held areas created and sustained governance structures and thereby performed civil action. Civil action is defined as nonviolent action which requires authority and capacity. I argue that civilians are not only passive victims, but they can have the needed authority and capacity to establish governance structures even in an extremely violent war. These structures form part of a new, revolutionary identity among the participants. Building on previous research by Deborah Avant, Erica Chenoweth, and Raymond Hinnebusch, I examine how civilians transformed mass mobilization into local governance, while facing multiple challenges and violence from variety of perpetrators. Using interpretive methods, I have conducted semi-structured interviews with council members and others working with the councils. In addition, I draw from open-source material provided by and about the local councils. This policy-relevant research highlights that civil governance has been and continues to be exercised in Syria, despite of many challenges. The councils have provided life-saving basic services in opposition-held areas. They have created structures and invented new ways to support civilians while being targeted with brutal violence. The councils also have an ambiguous role as they balance under different armed actors while trying to maintain legitimacy. Different actors, such as armed groups or external actors, have provided varying conditions for civil governance, at times making it impossible. This research informs us about civilian agency in armed conflicts and supplements the scholarship of rebel governance. Local councils in Syria show that new forms of governance and civil action can be established even in violent settings. The experiences of the councils can be utilized in the future, possible post-conflict Syria.