Assad Regime Collapses in Syria After Decades-Long Civil War
For over a decade, the multi-front civil war in Syria had left the country divided and scarred, with no end in sight. However, within a couple of weeks, Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed.
On November 27, rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise assault, taking advantage of distractions facing Assad’s allies in the region. The speed and scale of the reversal was stunning, with pro-Assad forces controlling over 60% of Syrian land, according to analysis from the Institute for the Study of War and AEI’s Critical Threats Project.
Rebel forces quickly made gains, capturing key cities and severing pro-regime forces. By December 3, HTS-affiliated rebels seized Aleppo, the country’s second-biggest city, and moved south toward Hama. Days later, they claimed control of Hama city and advanced toward Homs, while unidentified opposition groups took Daraa in the south.
By December 7, Assad’s regime was on the brink of collapse, with his forces retreating from rebel-controlled areas across the country. On December 8, the rebels claimed control of Damascus, the capital, and Assad fled the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully. He and his family were granted asylum in Russia, where they have been residing since.
The collapse of the Assad regime has triggered a harsh military response from Israel, which has launched airstrikes across Syria and deployed ground troops. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to seize a demilitarized buffer zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the rest of Syria.
Mohammad Al-Bashir, a leader of a Syrian rebel-linked government, has been appointed caretaker prime minister for the next three months, during which time his government will oversee Syria’s transition to a new government.