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Damascus falls -

“How many people were displaced across the world? How many people lived in tents? How many drowned in the seas?” asked Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), one of the primary Syrian opposition groups.

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New history for the region -

Speaking to a crowd at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the most significant sites in the city, al-Julani claimed that "a new history" has been written for the region.

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Half a century of rule -

The advance of opposition groups to Syria’s capital and their takeover of several contested regions brings to a close half a century of the al-Assad family’s rule over the nation.

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Russia offers asylum -

In efforts to evade accountability for his violent reign, al-Assad is said to have fled the country when news broke of the rebels’ advancements. The Russian government has extended political asylum to the al-Assad family.

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Roads jammed -

Videos on social media show thousands of vehicles jamming roads to Damascus following the news of al-Assad’s fall. Since the start of the revolution, 14 million Syrians have been displaced. Many are now returning home.

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Revolution -

In 2011, uprisings in Syria began largely unarmed (pictured). The years that followed have been brutal and violent, amassing hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees scattered around the world.

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Intense years mark rule -

An Al Jazeera report notes this powerful statement from a Syrian international journalist: “The fear of the regime, the fear of detention, the fear of what happened inside this darkened ominous prison system, the fear just disappearing was so real that it permeated every single person’s fiber of being.”

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Police state -

Al-Assad’s state was inherited from his father, Hafez al-Assad. Both ran a terrifying police state for decades in an attempt to silence its population into obedience.

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Prisons -

Hundreds of thousands of people have been held as political prisoners, many for decades, under the regime’s policy of jailing and killing as a method of political repression.

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Prisoners released -

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Awaiting information -

Prisoners were captured on video, running through the streets, many with tears streaming down their faces, with their fingers showing how many years they had been imprisoned. Others continue to gather in liberated prisons to see information on their imprisoned family members who have still not returned home.

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Children among freed prisoners -

Captured scenes from some of the liberated women’s prisons were particularly moving, as some children, too, were held with their mothers, demonstrating the cruelty of the regime’s policies.

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Searching underground cells -

The famous White Helmets, a civil society organization that was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 2016, were deployed to search for underground bunkers, where more detainees are said to be held in secret.

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Weakness detected -

While al-Assad was able to gain considerable ground over the last several years, given the strong alliances with Iran and Russia, Russia's focus on its war in Ukraine offered opposition movements an opportunity to make significant advancements.

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Coalition -

So how did it happen? A coalition of opposition fighters staged an offensive against al-Assad’s forces at the end of November 2024, focusing particularly on Idlib, which was already under opposition rule, and Aleppo, one of the country’s largest cities and which was under the regime’s control.

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Operation Deterrence of Aggression -

Operation Deterrence of Aggression was primarily fought by the HTS, who have ruled over Idlib, as well as the National Front for Liberation, Ahrar al-Sham, Jaish al-Izza, and the Nour al-Din al Zenki Movement.

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Capturing of other major cities -

In mere days, the fall of Aleppo into opposition forces’ control led to the capturing of Hama, Homs, and Deraa, the latter being the city largely attributed to the start of the revolution.

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Abandoned posts -

The Syrian army began to retreat from several key areas, likely aware that the opposition movement would be stronger now than before. Given the population’s disapproval of the al-Assad regime and the known sentiments of soldiers, who were also not keen to continue to fighting for the brutal ruler, the abandoned posts allowed for an advancement.

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Last leg of al-Assad rule -

Many soldiers handed over their weapons and fled, abandoning the last leg of al-Assad’s control over the nation, forcing the regime’s top leaders to leave the country.

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Celebration -

Celebratory images from throughout the country and the diaspora communities spread around the world followed after the departure of al-Assad was announced. Toppled statues and public demonstrations chanting anti-government slogans have erupted inside and outside the country, expressing joy for the end of the regime.

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Hope on the horizon -

Over a decade later, new hope is on the horizon. A Syrian fighter interviewed by Al Arabiya magazine shared that he had been in the resistance movements since 2011 and was now looking forward to transition back to his life as a farmer.

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Refugees begin returning -

Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, particularly in Jordan (pictured) and Lebanon, who have lived in challenging circumstances since fleeing their homeland, eagerly move toward the borders to return to their homes.

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Transition of power -

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali has expressed willingness to support a peaceful transition of power following al-Assad’s exodus, as opposition forces agree to keep public institutions under his rule until a new government can be established.

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Foreign intervention -

While the international community has largely celebrated the fall of al-Assad, concerns over Syria’s future remain a primary concern. Throughout the last 14 years, the country experienced extensive foreign intervention.

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ISIS -

Foreign powers in the region and their influence (not just Russia and Iran) created a breeding ground for one of the most dangerous terrorist movements of our time: ISIS.

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Proxy wars -

The role of the United States, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and the European Union, among others, contributed to a mishmash of proxy wars, further weakening Syrians’ ability to push for their intended desire of autonomous rule.

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HTS -

While HTS, the organization that is primarily responsible for Syria’s liberation, is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, it has taken great measures to distance itself from its al-Qaeda roots in efforts to ensure the safety of minority groups and to maintain good relations with other nations.

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Future unknown -

While the future of Syria is still unknown, the daunting task of rebuilding the country and creating national unity, after decades of repression, violence, and fear, certainly leave many questions domestically and for the international community.

Sources: (Al Jazeera) (CNN) (AP News) (Al Arabiya)

See also: When children are the target of conflict 

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