On Sunday, December 8, after intense fighting between the Syrian government and the terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies, President Bashar al-Assad fled Syria. The news was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry, who also revealed that al-Assad instructed his prime minister to oversee a peaceful transition of power to opposition forces.
The Syrian state was devastated by the war that began in 2011 and the sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. The Syrian Arab Army never fully recovered after major battles and was unable to retake key cities.
Israeli bombardment of Syrian military installations weakened the logistical capabilities of the Syrian armed forces. Attacks on Iranian supply depots and military facilities in Syria, as well as Israeli strikes on Iran, prevented any increase in Iranian forces to defend the Syrian government.
The newly formed government led by HTS, comprising various military forces from Turkey and Uighurs, faces challenges in addressing social minorities in Syria, dealing with the Golan Heights and Israel, and responding to Israeli military incursions in Quneitra.