After 53 years of Assad family rule, Syria has witnessed a dramatic shift in power. President Bashar al-Assad’s government, which has held the country’s reins since 2000, is collapsing in the wake of a successful rebel offensive. The final blow came on Sunday when Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militant group, and allied factions took control of Damascus, forcing Assad to flee the capital.
Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, had ruled Syria for nearly three decades before his death in 2000, but his son’s presidency marked a brutal period, particularly following the 2011 uprising. Initially sparked by peaceful pro-democracy protests, the movement was crushed with violence, eventually plunging the country into a devastating civil war. Over 500,000 lives were lost, and millions were displaced.
The recent rebel advance began on November 27, when HTS and its allies launched an offensive to “deter aggression” from Assad’s forces, accusing them of escalating attacks in north-western Syria. The rebels rapidly captured Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, and continued their sweep southward, capturing Hama and Homs in quick succession. By early Sunday morning, they had entered Damascus, and within hours, declared Assad’s departure.
HTS, formed in 2012 as al-Nusra Front, has long been a key opposition force to Assad. Initially allied with al-Qaeda, it later distanced itself from the terror group and rebranded as HTS in 2016. The group has consolidated power in Syria’s north-western regions, including Aleppo and Idlib provinces, where millions of displaced Syrians now reside. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, has vowed to overthrow the Assad regime and establish a government based on Islamic law.
Despite years of military support from Russia and Iran, Assad’s government had been increasingly weakened by sanctions, corruption, and the distraction of other conflicts. With Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias preoccupied with the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and Russia focused on Ukraine, Assad’s forces were left exposed.
As HTS and other rebel factions continued their advance, they took control of key cities along the Damascus-Aleppo highway. On Sunday, the rebels stormed the infamous Saydnaya military prison, where thousands of opposition supporters were allegedly executed during the civil war. Soon after, they declared that Assad had fled the country.
In a video statement, Syria’s Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali announced his willingness to cooperate with any new leadership chosen by the people. Meanwhile, HTS leader al-Jawlani ordered his forces to avoid seizing official institutions, leaving them under the authority of the prime minister until a formal transfer of power.
The White House stated that it was closely monitoring the unfolding events in Syria, staying in constant communication with regional partners. The end of Assad’s regime marks a new era for Syria, but many are uncertain about the country’s future under rebel control.
