With a lightning offensive, rebels began to take over regions of Syria, in an accelerated action over the weekend that culminated in the capture of the capital, Damascus. The movement led to the fall of the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad.
Since 2011, Syria has been in a conflict that has left more than 300,000 civilians dead.
Fighting escalated as other regional actors and world powers — from Saudi Arabia to Iran, and the United States to Russia — joined in. The Russians have allied with Assad’s government to combat the Islamic State terrorist group and rebels while the Americans have led an international coalition to repel terrorism.
After a ceasefire agreement in 2020, the conflict remained largely “dormant”, with minor clashes between the rebels and the Assad regime. That was until the last few weeks and, mainly, since Saturday (7).
See, in five points, the events of the last 48 hours in the Middle Eastern country.
1 – Two fronts
The rebels fought Assad’s forces in . The objective was to reach Damascus, the capital, which would be the “” of the plan.
They accelerated the lightning attack on Saturday (7), reporting that they had taken most of the southern region. In addition to capturing Aleppo in the north, Hama in the center and Deir al-Zor in the east, the rebels said they took southern Quneitra and Suweida.
Syria’s rebel coalition consists of Islamist and moderate groups who, despite differences, are united in the fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is one of the largest and has been one of the main opposition forces, fighting the government since its formation.
Another group is the Syrian National Army (SNA), which has incorporated dozens of rebel groups with different ideologies that receive funding and weapons from Türkiye.
This coalition includes the National Liberation Front, made up of groups such as Ahrar al-Sham, whose stated objectives are .
Some members of the rebel coalition are also fighting Kurdish forces.
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A damaged poster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo • Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters
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A person raises the flag of the Syrian opposition after rebels announced they have deposed President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanon, December 8, 2024. • Reuters
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Rebel from the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in a Syrian province of Aleppo 11/29/2024 • REUTERS/Mahmoud Hasano
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Residents of rural Aleppo move and flee the region, passing cars in Tabqa, Syria 12/4/2024 • REUTERS/Orhan Qareman
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Hundreds of Syrians gathered and celebrated in Aleppo after the fall of Syria’s president • REUTERS
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Abu Mohammad al-Golani, Syrian rebel leader, in an exclusive interview with CNN. • CNNi Reproduction
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Syrian rebels take control of the city of Haman, the country’s fourth largest municipality • REUTERS
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Haman military airport was one of the locations taken by Syrian rebels • REUTERS
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Rebels invade the Syrian city and capital, Damascus • REUTERS
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Leader of the Syrian rebel front Golani in an official speech
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Rebels destroy image of Bashar al-Assad, in Syria • Reuters / Reproduction
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Rebels destroy images of Bashar al-Assad from the streets in Syria • Reproduction / Reuters
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Syrian rebels hold Syrian opposition flag as they celebrate taking full control of Homs • REUTERS
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Anti-regime armed groups arrive in the center of the city of Homs, Syria • Reuters/reproduction
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Syria: rebels advance to try to overthrow Bashar al-Assad’s government • Reuters
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Special Criminal Investigation carried out an operation with the aim of dismantling criminal practice • Goiás Civil Police
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People celebrating at the Lebanese border crossing with Syria, after the fall of the Al-Assad regime • Reproduction / Reuters
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Rebels invade and reach the Syrian city and capital, Damascus • REUTERS
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Rebel holds Syrian flag with civilians after almost a week of uncertainty in the country
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Civilian makes “V” for victory sign while holding a gun in Damascus
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Flag of the Baath regime is replaced by the flag of the revolution in Syrian embassies abroad • Reuters/Reproduction
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Syrian rebel commander, Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, gives a speech to a crowd inside a mosque in Damascus, Syria, on 12/08/2024 • Reuters/ Reproduction
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Statue of Hafez al-Assad is toppled in Tartus, Syria, on December 8, 2024 • Reuters/ Social Network
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Abu Mohammad al-Golani, Syrian rebel leader • Reuters
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Damascus, Syria, celebrates the fall of the Baath regime, which lasted 61 years. 8/12/24
2 – Two factions
In the south, there is the , a newly formed group representing the southern rebels. In the current movement, he called on government forces to defect from “the criminal gang of the Assad regime” and join the rebels.
The southern factions are different from the northern factions, led by the .
In the north, the HTS led an offensive that, after taking the city of Aleppo in just three days and Hama in eight, the insurgents headed towards Damascus.
The fall of Homs gave insurgents control over Syria’s strategic heartland and a key highway junction, separating Damascus from the coastal region that is the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and an air base.
The rapid rebel offensive has left analysts and observers surprised. The lightning advance comes amid reports of minimal resistance from regime forces, who were caught unprepared.
In an interview with CNNpolitical scientist Hussein Kalout issued a warning about the rebels’ recent seizure of power in Syria, characterizing them as “”than” the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
3 – Capital
Damascus was taken by rebels on Sunday (8) and a curfew was imposed.
The rebels, interrupting regular programming to announce the fall of the regime. Images of the ransacked Presidential Palace circulated, symbolizing the end of an era in Syrian politics.
was in Damascus after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The rebels who were in overcrowded and hidden cells. A 2023 report by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council detailed “widespread and systematic patterns of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” in Syrian regime detention centers.
4 – Bashar al-Assad
The Syrian president and his family are in Moscow and, according to the country’s media. Russia is one of the countries allied with the Assad government and has been active in recent years.
Before the Russian statement was issued, a source close to the rebels told CNN that the deposed president had , and a separate source said he traveled to Latakia, in northwestern Syria, where Russia has an air base.
A statue of Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father, was in Jaramana, in the south of the country.
The Assad family has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1970, facing accusations of political persecution and violent repression.
Hafez ruled for 29 years until his death in 2000, when Bashar assumed the presidency.
5 – Reaction from other countries
The is focused on next steps in Syria, including engaging with groups in the country, speaking with regional leaders and continuing efforts against the Islamic State.
The US has been “watching closely” and is seeing whether .
Israel announced on Sunday (8) the mobilization of military forces to the buffer zone monitored by the UN on the border with Syria. This action marks the first time since 1974 that Israel has sent troops to this demilitarized area in the Golan Heights.
The Israelis have been carrying out attacks against Iranian-linked targets in Syria for years, but not since the attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7 last year, which started the Gaza war.
Russia asked the UN Security Council on Monday (9) to discuss the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said, on Sunday (8), that we want a Syria that is safe for all minorities, after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
For Afghanistan, the Taliban Foreign Ministry and rebel forces “for recent developments, which have resulted in the removal of key factors contributing to conflict and instability.”
The country has mobilized reinforcement troops along its eastern and northern borders with Syria. Iran said that from Syria.
