Stirring events in Syria, as rebels take on Damascus, entail a whole new descending for President Bashar al-Assad.
The capital city of the Arab State has indeed experienced a change almost instantly: rebel forces drove into it, and through it ended the civil war of more than a decade, introduced by President Bashar al-Assad. It ended more than 20 years of rule by the Assad of five decades of clutches of family within the country. The rebels had been fast in capturing cities with their successful run, giving little resistance. President Assad, as the regime was collapsing, reportedly flew the country.
The offensive began at the end of November and has rapidly progressed, taking Hama and Homs before landing at Damascus. This sweeping change in Syria has left it with a great deal of hope in freedom for its people but also adds quite a bit of anxiety about what is to come.
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Foreign Involvement in Syria
For years, the civil war in Syria was the context through which local and great powers contested each other, with one power or the other trying to support numerous factions for national interests:
Russia: A long-time ally of the Assad regime, Russia has given comprehensive military support through strikes, advisors, and military hardware. This has played a massive role in the victory of Assad in the fight before the rebels.
Iran: Tehran and allied militias such as Hezbollah are strong supporters of the military strength of the Assad regime, acting out of Iranian interests aimed at preserving its sphere of influence in the region.
United States: The US also supported the opposition movement with its coalition against ISIS, involving air strikes and special operations within Syria. US policy also included assistance to Kurdish-led groups fighting terrorism.
Turkey: Ankara’s interest in Syria was tied to the security of Turkish borders against Kurdish forces and the support of rebel factions. Simply put, Turkey’s military structure has guided the dynamics of northern Syria.
Gulf States: It was Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and then some other states that mainly funded and armed the anti-Assad factions since they were also against the regime, seeing it as a threat to regional stability.
Such a complex intersection of foreign interventions made Syria an arena in which competing interests fought with one another to stretch the conflict further and impact the civilian populace even more negatively.
The Fall of Assad’s Regime
The sudden downfall of Assad’s regime reveals the weakening of his military, which has suffered from years of attrition, financial hardships, and reduced backing from allies who have been occupied with their own problems. For instance:
- Russia’s focus has changed with the Ukraine conflict now continuing to decrease its ability to help Assad.
- Iran had some minor problems with the airstrikes targeting its commanders and supply routes in Syria, courtesy of Israeli air force attacks.
Hezbollah was previously a crucial player in wars fought earlier, but such actively mounting internal pressure in Lebanon and Israeli offensives weakened Hezbollah. The result of such conditioning, unfortunately, left Assad’s forces very much exposed to rapid territorial loss by the rebels. For example, HTS-led forces stormed into an unscathed Damascus – signaling that Assad’s era had capped.
International and Regional Reactions
The international community’s response to unfolding events continued in moderation.
- United States: Emphasising that there must be a peaceful transition, President Joe Biden vowed efforts to work with regional partners toward stabilizing that situation.
- Russia: Moscow’s definition of the power vacuum in Syria does not engender immediate intervention because the country is still preoccupied with Ukraine.
- Turkey: Again, Turkish officials welcomed the downfall of Assad’s regime but stressed the importance of not letting radical groups rule the country.
- Neighboring countries: Heightened border security measures have been instituted by Jordan and Lebanon to address the anticipated influx of refugees and the potential risk of spillover violence.
This is the future for Syria.
Now, it presents with the fall of the Assad regime some major challenges and new opportunities:
Political Transition: The establishment of a representative and inclusive government is going to be key for long-term stability.
Humanitarian Relief: Millions of Syrians are displaced, and addressing their demand thus is a significant priority.
Security Concerns: The order would also depend on preventing extremists from exploiting the transitional period.
But the path forward for Syria holds uncertain futures. The end of the rule of Assad has, however, installed hope in many Syrians for an optimistic future after many years of suffering. It has now set the eyes of the world on how recovery and stability in the nation will be forged during this transition.