In a historic turn of events, Syrian rebels seized the capital, Damascus, on Sunday without opposition, abruptly ending President Bashar al-Assad’s 13-year rule and the Assad family’s five-decade dominance over Syria.
The lightning-fast advance forced Assad to flee to Russia, which granted asylum to him and his family, according to Russian state media.
The fall of Assad’s government signals a significant geopolitical shift, diminishing the influence of both Iran and Russia in the region. Syria now rests in the hands of a rebel coalition, partially supported by Turkey.
For Syrians, the regime’s sudden collapse offers hope for an end to the brutal civil war that has left hundreds of thousands dead, reduced cities to rubble, and displaced millions across the Middle East and beyond.
In a triumphant speech at Damascus’s historic Umayyad Mosque, rebel leader Abu al-Golani declared the dawn of a new era, urging Syrians to rebuild their nation.
“How many people were displaced across the world? How many lived in tents? How many drowned in the seas?” al-Golani told the crowd, referring to refugees who died attempting to reach Europe, as reported by Reuters.
“A new history, my brothers, is being written in the entire region after this great victory,” he said, emphasizing that with hard work, Syria would become “a beacon for the Islamic nation.”
The fall of the Assad regime saw its notorious police state collapse overnight. Freed political prisoners flooded the streets, celebrating their newfound freedom. Residents poured into the presidential palace, with some even leaving with furniture.
The loss of Assad, long backed by Moscow and Tehran, is a devastating blow to their strategic interests in the region, weakening Iran’s influence over its allies and diminishing Russia’s naval presence in the Mediterranean.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Assad’s ouster but cautioned that the moment represents both an opportunity and a time of uncertainty for Syria’s future.
