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“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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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Images of thousands of prisoners being released from jails, some of whom were scheduled for execution in the coming days, brought extreme joy to families and loved ones, many of whom had been unaware of their family members' fates and whereabouts.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

▲On December 8, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country's capital, as opposition forces stormed Damascus, declaring the ancient city "free."

The Assad regime's collapse has triggered Israel's military response, including airstrikes on Syrian targets and the first deployment of ground troops beyond the demilitarized buffer zone in 50 years. The Israeli military reported conducting around 480 strikes across Syria in two days, targeting strategic weapon stockpiles.

In a statement, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said the IDF was aiming to "destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which ousted President Bashar al-Assad, that Israel would "respond forcefully" if they allow Iran to "reestablish itself in Syria". Netanyahu added that “the collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.” 

Of 480 Israeli airstrikes, 350 targeted airfields, defenses, missiles, drones, jets, tanks, and weapon sites in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra.

Since the Syrian revolution began during the Arab Spring in 2011, the country and its citizens have experienced complete turmoil. The al-Assad regime's relentless boot over any tick of opposition provoked one of the largest displacement crises in the world.

Extraordinary scenes of thousands of people rushing back to their hometowns, political prisoners liberated from notorious prisons, as well as the celebrations of diaspora Syrian communities, offer much hope for the path ahead.

Want to know more about the Syrian conflict and how the rebel forces managed to make such extraordinary wins overnight after a 13-year struggle, as well as explore the future of Syria? Then click on.

Israel conducts 480 strikes on Syria and captures territory

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF aims to destroy strategic threats to Israel

11/12/24 por StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE World news

On December 8, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country's capital, as opposition forces stormed Damascus, declaring the ancient city "free."

The Assad regime's collapse has triggered Israel's military response, including airstrikes on Syrian targets and the first deployment of ground troops beyond the demilitarized buffer zone in 50 years. The Israeli military reported conducting around 480 strikes across Syria in two days, targeting strategic weapon stockpiles.

In a statement, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said the IDF was aiming to "destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which ousted President Bashar al-Assad, that Israel would "respond forcefully" if they allow Iran to "reestablish itself in Syria". Netanyahu added that “the collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.” 

Of 480 Israeli airstrikes, 350 targeted airfields, defenses, missiles, drones, jets, tanks, and weapon sites in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra.

Since the Syrian revolution began during the Arab Spring in 2011, the country and its citizens have experienced complete turmoil. The al-Assad regime's relentless boot over any tick of opposition provoked one of the largest displacement crises in the world.

Extraordinary scenes of thousands of people rushing back to their hometowns, political prisoners liberated from notorious prisons, as well as the celebrations of diaspora Syrian communities, offer much hope for the path ahead.

Want to know more about the Syrian conflict and how the rebel forces managed to make such extraordinary wins overnight after a 13-year struggle, as well as explore the future of Syria? Then click on.

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