- As rebel forces surged into the capital, Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule came to an end in a historic turn of events.
- Daraa, which was once the epicentre of peaceful protests against Assad’s regime, became the centre of Syria’s violent uprising, which has killed over 500,000 people and displaced millions more.
- The regime’s fundamental vulnerability was shown when Assad’s forces were unable to stop the insurgents’ quick successes, despite long-standing assistance from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.
- The Assad regime’s demise challenges the realist theory of state power and signifies a shift in international relations.
As rebel forces surged into the capital, Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule came to an end in a historic turn of events. According to Russian sources of information, Assad left the nation and peacefully surrendered power. According to the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation, or HTS, the rebel military operations headquarters declared early Sunday morning that the president was no longer in the capital, writing: “We declare the city of Damascus free of the tyrant Bashar al-Assad.”[1]
Before Damascus, rebel gains in Aleppo, Hama, and Daraa had given them greater confidence to advance on Homs and Damascus. Syrian rebels invaded Damascus after taking control of Daraa, the southern province that catalyzed the 2011 uprising against Assad. Daraa, which was once the epicentre of peaceful protests against Assad’s regime, became the centre of Syria’s violent uprising, which has killed over 500,000 people and displaced millions more.[2]
Rebels swiftly conquered government soldiers and captured Aleppo, Homs, and Daraa with minimal resistance after launching a siege from Idlib. Syrian troops were seen leaving their positions in social media footage, which fuelled claims of widespread surrenders. As Assad’s regime came to an end, Prime Minister Ghazi al-Jalali declared that he was willing to hand up government duties. A significant turning point in Syria’s civil war, which claimed the lives of over 300,000 civilians and displaced about 12 million.[3]
The siege has been led by HTS, an al-Qaida-affiliated force that is currently distancing from its jihadist roots. HTS has worked with Syrian militias supported by Turkey in an attempt to reclaim itself as a voice for democratic rule. But there are also concerns about how it would manage Syria, with some linking it to the Taliban in Afghanistan, a fundamentalist Islamist movement that emphasises local government.[4]
The regime’s fundamental vulnerability was shown when Assad’s forces were unable to stop the insurgents’ quick successes, despite long-standing assistance from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.[5] Assad’s allies prioritised low-cost operations over significant intervention, failing to provide decisive help despite his determined combat on three fronts. According to Professor Michael Clarke, Sky’s defence specialist, the situation was anticipated and he likened it to the civil war in Libya in 2011 and the 2014 crisis in Iraq, where Islamic State fighters nearly overran Baghdad in a matter of weeks. The last blow was Russia and Iran’s decision to withdraw from Syria, which left Assad open to the rebels’ swift offensive.[6]
The world has been cautious of Assad’s downfall. The situation is being closely watched by U.S. President Joe Biden, while President-elect Donald Trump criticised Russia for its focus on the war in Ukraine and its abandonment of Assad. Additionally, Trump also said that China may act as a peace broker and demanded a rapid ceasefire and negotiations. While maintaining Russian military bases on high alert, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced alarm over Assad’s departure and called for a political solution through inclusive dialogue following UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Whereas, Iran reaffirmed its backing for Syria’s independence, calling for a nonviolent political transition and the defence of Syrian nationals and holy places.
The Assad regime’s demise challenges the realist theory of state power and signifies a shift in international relations. With support from Russia and Iran, the Assad family ruled Syria for 24 years, drawing attention to the civil war’s worldwide scope. The idea of state durability is called into question by the regime’s swift fall, which was brought on by HTS forces and exposes the erratic character of power dynamics in the Middle East. This transition raises questions about Syria’s future since it requires international actors to reevaluate their plans in light of the region’s shifting political landscape and power dynamics.
References:
- [1] https://abcnews.go.com/International/syrian-rebels-claimed-4-cities-24-hours-now/story?id=116562929
- [2] https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/syria-bashar-al-assad-syria-war-as-rebels-advance-bashar-al-assad-loses-another-key-syrian-city-10-facts-7192239
- [3] https://abcnews.go.com/International/syrian-rebels-claimed-4-cities-24-hours-now/story?id=116562929
- [4] https://abcnews.go.com/International/syrian-rebels-claimed-4-cities-24-hours-now/story?id=116562929
- [5] https://abcnews.go.com/International/syrian-rebels-claimed-4-cities-24-hours-now/story?id=116562929
- [6] https://news.sky.com/story/assad-fall-not-surprising-as-russia-and-iran-decided-to-throw-syria-under-the-bus-13269400
Shrivara Mahajan 
Balaji Subramanian 
Prajwal K M