Syria's shifting tide: Rebels seize power as Assad flees
The leader of the Syrian rebels, Abu Muhamad al-Jolani, announced that his forces will not back down and will continue the fight that began in 2011. "The future is ours," he emphasized.
On Sunday, Abu Muhamad al-Jolani, leader of the Syrian rebels, announced that his forces, which have captured Damascus and overthrown Bashar al-Assad's regime, do not intend to withdraw. "The future belongs to us," he noted in his speech broadcast on Syrian television.
Jolani, who leads the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), emphasized that the rebels will continue on the path started during the Arab Spring in 2011.
Arab Spring
The term "Arab Spring" refers to a series of social uprisings in Arab countries in 2011. In Syria, protests against Assad's authoritarian rule erupted, leading to a civil war between the government and fragmented rebel factions. Other countries also engaged in the conflict, and over half a million people have been killed.
Most fighting ceased in 2020, and Assad managed to regain control over most of the country, largely thanks to support from Iran and Russia. A week and a half ago, rebels launched an offensive against the government and, within a few days, captured the country's major cities.
Since Saturday evening, Assad's fate remains unknown. According to media reports, he left Damascus on a plane headed in an unknown direction. There are speculations that the aircraft was shot down or crashed.
Russia's Foreign Ministry stated on Sunday that Assad has left the presidency and Syria and ordered the "peaceful power transfer."
