Syrian Islamist militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group launched a surprise offensive in the northwest of the country at the end of November. They gradually announced the conquest of the second largest city of Aleppo, followed by the cities of Hama and Homs, and finally they managed to enter the capital city of Damascus on Sunday night. Rebels in the south of Syria also noted progress.
According to the media, Assad, who ruled the country for 24 years, had left Damascus. It is not certain where he is now, nor if he is still alive. The current Syrian government, through the mouth of Prime Minister Muhammad Ghazi Jalali, announced its willingness to participate in a peaceful transfer of power.
The rebels also called on the fled Syrians to return to their homeland and promise to build a new “peaceful” Syria.
At the same time, part of the insurgents from the HTS group are former fighters of the al-Qaeda terrorist group. The question also remains how Assad’s former allies, especially Iran and Russia, will react to the rapidly changing events.
Assad fled Syria. “The regime has fallen,” reports the rebels and the exiled opposition
Near and Middle East
