Dec 09 How will Assad’s downfall affect Russia and Putin? By Associated Press The Kremlin’s failure to prevent Assad’s swift downfall has exposed limits of Russia’s power and dented its international clout at a pivotal stage of its war in Ukraine. Continue reading
Dec 09 Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad’s notorious dungeons, celebrate in Damascus streets By Kareem Chehayeb, Abdulrahman Shaheen, Associated Press Tens of thousands of people held in Syria's notorious prisons have been freed in the 10 days since the insurgents began their lightning advance across the country that ended with the toppling of President Bashar Assad. Continue reading
Dec 09 Syrian prime minister says government is still functioning but challenges loom By Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue, Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers are still working from offices in Damascus after rebels entered the capital over the weekend and overthrew President Bashar Assad. Continue reading
Dec 08 Analysis: Syria faces risky new moment after fall of the Assad dynasty By Steven A. Cook, Council on Foreign Relations The swift collapse of Syria’s regime brings a humiliating end to Russia’s and Iran’s sway and opens the door for greater Turkish influence. But the Islamist movement that seized power has yet to show its full intentions. Continue reading
Dec 08 Watch 8:24 Half-century of iron rule ends in Syria as rebels seize Damascus. What’s next? By John Yang, Lorna Baldwin, Kaisha Young For more than half a century, Syria had been ruled with an iron fist by the Assad regime. It all came to an end this weekend with lightning speed, as rebels took control of the capital city of Damascus, and… Continue watching
Dec 08 WATCH: Biden delivers remarks on the ouster of Syrian President Assad by opposition forces By Will Weissert, Associated Press President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Middle East. Continue reading
Dec 08 Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Syria’s insurgency that toppled Assad? By Kareem Chehayeb, Associated Press Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader whose stunning insurgency toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation… Continue reading
Dec 08 Syrians celebrate end of Assad regime with jubilation in the capital and outside the country By Abdelrahman Shaheen, Associated press, Abby Sewell, Associated Press Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a… Continue reading
Dec 08 Syrian government falls to rebel offensive in stunning end to Assad family’s 50-year rule By Bassem Mroue, Zeina Karam, Associated Press Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule. Continue reading
Dec 07 Analysis: What Syria’s reignited civil war means for the Middle East By Steven A. Cook, Council on Foreign Relations The surprise rebel offensive that has seized Aleppo and threatens other regime-held territories could mark a further weakening of Iran's regional sway but also spur a new cycle of violence and instability. Continue reading