Damascus: Amid the crisis that is unfolding in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad is believed to have fled the capital city of Damascus after it was breached by rebels on Sunday, December 8, according to media reports. So far it is not clear where President Assad has header to as his regime collapsed in the light of the recent developments.
Reports suggested that the President boarded a plane and left for an unknown destination. In the wake of deepening power crisis in the war-ton country, the Army and security forces were learnt to have abandoned Damascus International Airport. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on Saturday announced that its forces were closing in on Damascus.
As the development unfolded, people rushed to stack essential supplies. The escalating conflict has prompted thousands to fled the war-torn country and take shelter in neighbouring nations. The offensive launched by rebels have plunged Syria deeper into power crisis with the military withdrawing from key startegic cities, including Aleppo. The rebel forces have taken control of the several cities in the country.
This marks the first time that opposition forces reached Damascus after 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured areas on the outskirts of the capital following a years-long siege.
News Agency AP, citing the pro-government Sham FM radio, reported that the Damascus airport had been evacuated and all flights halted.
The militants also declared they had entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital and “liberated” their prisoners there.
All About Syria Crisis
Last week, Syrian rebel groups launched a surprise attack, forcing the military to redeploy and announce a “temporary withdrawal”. The Syrian rebels entered Aleppo just three days into their surprise offensive which was launched on November 27. The offensive has triggered a fresh wave of conflict amidst a 13-year-long civil war. According to Syrian military, dozens of soldiers lost their lives in the fighting against rebels during Aleppo seizure. Rebels entry in Aleppo marked the first time that they set foot in the country’s second-largest city since government forces recaptured the city in 2016.
Later on December 1, the rebel forces reportedly turned their approach southward and attempted to gain control of Hama, a city south of Aleppo. Despite the concerning development, President Assad, later in the day, vowed that Syria would “defend its stability and its territorial integrity in the face of terrorists and their supporters.”
The Nov 27 surprise offensive, was the first significant flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled the war-hit nation since 2000. Meanwhile, in response to the rebels advancement, the government of Syria and Russia have united forces to regain control of rebel-occupied territory.
What We Know So Far
The rebels who have retained control of Idlib since 2020, advanced eastward toward Aleppo in what came as a “surprise attack” for many, on Nov 27. Two days later, the insurgents gained control of Aleppo, forcing the military to announce a “temporary withdrawal”. On Nov 28, the Syrian military confirmed the deaths of dozens of soldiers in the fighting. After reigniting the conflict which laid dormant for years, the militants, on Dec 1 reportedly turned their approach southward and attempted to seize control of Hama, a city south of Aleppo. On Dec 5, the rebels declared their victory over Hama.
In a call with foreign officials, Assad vowed to defeat the insurgency. “Terrorism only understands the language of force, which is the language we will break and eliminate it with, regardless of its supporters and sponsors,” he said.
The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. After appearing to be losing control of the country to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assad’s hold on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their foreign backers controlling areas on the periphery.
The latest development comes at a time when the West Asia is already mired in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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