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Bashar al-Assad

The Fall Of Assad And What It Means For The Middle East

The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, ending a 55-year dynasty begun by his father, dramatically shifts the pieces on the chessboard of the Middle East. The rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is armed and backed by Turkey and was once allied with Al Qaeda. It is sanctioned as a terrorist group. Turkey’s primary goal is to prevent an independent Kurdish state in northern Syria where Kurds have formed an autonomous enclave. But it may not only be Turkey that is behind the overthrow of Assad. It may also be Israel.

US, UK Consider Removing HTS From Terror Blacklist

US officials are considering removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the US terrorist list after the offshoot of the Islamic State of Iraq (later known as ISIS) helped achieve the long-term US goal of overthrowing the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, The Washington Post reported on 9 December. “US officials are in contact with all the groups involved in fighting in Syria, including the main group that ousted Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and remains on a US terrorist list,” the newspaper wrote.

Turkey Takes Aleppo

Before it fell under 20th century Anglo-American colonialism, Syria was the core of the Levant, encompassing (today’s) Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, the site of multireligious, multicultural cities between which people traveled and traded freely. In the countryside, peasants and herders tended an agricultural and pastoral landscape of olive and orange trees, pasture, forest, and drylands. This region was under the control of the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years (perhaps Erdogan’s dream is to take some of it back. He’s been accused of “neo-Ottoman” fantasies).

HTS Declares End Of Syrian Government As Extremists Swarm Damascus

Over the past 10 days, HTS and Syrian National Army (SNA) fighters – most of them former members of Al-Qaeda and ISIS – took control of the cities of Aleppo, Hama, and Homs before advancing on Damascus. Nevertheless, heavy battles were reported at the Sayyeda Zainab Shrine in Damascus, where a few dozen Shia Muslim fighters reportedly gathered to protect the holy site from the Salafi extremists. In response, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continuously “repositioned” its troops to avoid clashing with the extremists, citing the protection of civilians before folding entirely on Sunday.

Syria Falls

During and after its fight against takfiri terrorists Syria had come under heavy sanctions. Its main assets in the east were under U.S. control. Israel's airforce was bombing its military infrastructure at will. It was ripe to fall. As soon as the bogus ceasefire in Lebanon was signed Turkey unleashed its takfiri 'Syrian rebels', many of them foreigners, against Syria. These were exceptionally well armed and trained. They have (vid) night vision equipment, drones, artillery, Starlink communication and a capable, professional command. The Syrian Arab army proved to be unreliable. Some units just vanished.

Ten Points On The fall Of Bashar al-Assad’s Syria

On Sunday, December 8, after over a week of intense fighting between the Syrian government and the terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied factions, who gained control over key cities in the country, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled Syria. The news was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry which also informed that with his resignation, al-Assad instructed his prime minister to stay in charge of the state to oversee a peaceful transition of power to opposition forces. The development happens 14 months into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and weeks after signing a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

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