Syrian opposition fighters celebrate in Damascus on December 8, 2024 after the collapse of the Syrian government.
| Photo Credit: AP
After five decades of Assad family rule in Syria, the regime collapsed as rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — the main militant group in Syria — swept through the country and rapidly advanced towards Damascus, capturing the city in just a few days. With Bashar al-Assad and his family granted political asylum in Russia, the rebels have appointed Mohammad al-Bashir as the caretaker Prime Minister until March 1, 2025.
The HTS-led rebel offensive was launched barely two weeks ago. It seized Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, and then marched south, swiftly reaching Damascus on Sunday (December 8, 2024), effectively ending a 13-year civil war. HTS’s victory in Aleppo also triggered rebellions elsewhere in the country. In the south, local militias backed by Jordan started attacking government positions, while in the northeast, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish militia, began advancing towards the eastern city of Deir Ezzour.
The map below shows Syria as of December 9, 2024.
HTS and its ally, the Syrian National Army — backed by Turkey — had informed the latter at least six months ago about the offensive that began on November 27, 2024 according to a Reuters report.
The civil war had been relatively quiet for years, particularly after the regime of President Assad recaptured most of its lost territories — including Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. During the peak of the civil war in 2015-16, Mr. Assad had heavily relied on external allies for security: Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. However, before, and during the recent offensive campaign, the situation was different. Russia was focused on Ukraine, Iran had lost several key commanders in Syria to Israeli strikes, and Hezbollah had been weakened by a year-long war with Israel. Syria has never recovered from the scars of the civil war. Crippled by American sanctions, its finances remain in shambles.
Until December 3: Offensive enters Aleppo
When they launched the offensive, the militants initially targeted the western suburbs of Aleppo, which Mr. Assad’s forces recaptured in 2016 after a brutal four-year battle. As HTS and SNA militants advanced towards Aleppo, they encountered little resistance from government forces. Within four days, the HTS-led rebels reached Aleppo’s city centre.
December 5: Hama falls
On marching south from Aleppo, the insurgents sweep into Hama and capture it on December 5, 2024. The militants raided military depots and grabbed more weapons, making their position stronger. Mr. Assad’s forces did not fight back.
December 7: Rebels capture Homs
After seizing two towns on the outskirts of Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, on December 6, 2024, the HTS-led forces entered and took control of Homs as government forces abandoned it, effectively cutting Damascus off from Mr. Assad’s coastal stronghold.
Other local militias in the south also attacked government positions and took control of territories marked in the map above.
December 8: Assad’s defeat
The opposition swept through Damascus unopposed, forcing Mr. Assad to flee. His Prime Minister, Mohammed al-Jalali, pledged to ensure a peaceful transition of power. The Army chief declared the end of Mr. Assad’s government, marking a dramatic conclusion to nearly 60 years of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party rule in Syria.
Now, the rebels face the monumental task of rebuilding and running a country devastated by a war that left hundreds of thousands dead, cities reduced to rubble, and an economy crippled by global sanctions.
Also read: Paradigm shift: On Syria and its future
Data source: Institute of Study of War and AEI Critical Threats Project
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Published – December 12, 2024 07:01 pm IST
