Damascus:

As Syria’s new transitional Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir took charge and called for “stability and calm” in the country, Israel carried out over 350 airstrikes targeting weapons stockpiles and strategic infrastructure in the Middle Eastern country over the past 48 hours. The Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS) led rebels, who toppled President Bashar al-Assad three days ago, appointed Mohammad al-Bashir as the transitional head of government to run the country until March 1. 

Mr al-Bashir, a figure little known across most of Syria ran the rebel-led Salvation Government in a pocket of the northwest controlled by rebels before their 12-day lightning offensive swept into Damascus.

In his first interview since being appointed, Mr Bashir told Qatar’s Al Jazeera television, “Now it is time for this people to enjoy stability and calm.”

Israel Strikes Syria

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in a statement posted to X, said it has carried out more than 350 airstrikes targeting weapons stockpiles and strategic infrastructure in Syria over the past 48 hours.

The targets included Syrian Navy facilities at Al-Bayda port and Latakia port, Syrian Air Force airfields, dozens of weapons production sites in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, numerous anti-aircraft batteries, drones, aircraft, tanks, scud missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-sea, surface-to-air, surface-to-surface missiles, UAVs, fighter jets, attack helicopters, radars, hangars, and more.

The IDF said it “conducted air strikes on 130 assets in Syria, including weapons depots, military structures, launchers, and firing positions.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that in overnight strikes the Syrian navy fleet was wiped out and Israeli troops were “establishing themselves” at the buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Turkish Strikes

Meanwhile, the Turkish intelligence agency is also attacking targets in Syria. On Tuesday, Turkish security officials said their intelligence agency attacked a convoy of trucks allegedly carrying missiles, heavy weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian government and reportedly seized by Syrian Kurdish militias, according to a report by The Guardian.

As per the report, 12 trucks, two tanks and two ammunition depots were “destroyed” in aerial strikes in the city of Qamishli, near the Turkish border.

US Urges ‘Inclusive’ Process For New Syrian Govt

The outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged all nations to support an “inclusive” political process in Syria, saying the United States would eventually recognize a government if it meets such standards. “The Syrian people will decide the future of Syria. All nations should pledge to support an inclusive and transparent process and refrain from external interference,” Mr Blinken said in a statement.

“The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process,” he added.

The US Secretary of State said that the future government of Syria should be “credible, inclusive and non-sectarian” after Islamist rebels toppled strongman Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite minority who led a secular dictatorship. 

HTS’s Message To The World

HTS commander Ahmed al-Sharaa, aka Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has urged foreign countries to not fear Syria after Bashar al-Assad’s regime was overthrown. Speaking to American broadcaster Sky News, Jolani, said, “Their (West’s) fears are unnecessary, God willing”.

“The country will be rebuilt,” he said, adding, “The fear was from the presence of the regime. The country is moving towards development and reconstruction. It’s going towards stability.”

He continued: “People are exhausted from war. So the country isn’t ready for another one and it’s not going to get into another one. The source of our fears was from the Iranian militias, Hezbollah and the regime which committed the massacres we are seeing today. So their removal is the solution for Syria. The current situation won’t allow for a return to panic.”

UN To Consider Taking HTS Off Terrorist List

The United Nations said it would consider removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from its designated terrorist list if it passes the key test of forming a truly inclusive transitional government, according to a report by The Guardian. 

Quoting Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy for Syria, the report said the UN would consider the proposal if the group could not seek to govern Syria in the way that it had governed Idlib, the northern province where it was based and from where it led the military breakout. 

“We have to be honest and look at the facts. It has been nine years since that resolution was adopted and the reality so far is that HTS and other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people of unity and inclusiveness. In Hama and Aleppo, there have been reassuring things on the ground…My message is Syria cannot be run like Idlib.” he said.

75 Indians Evacuated From Syria 

India on Tuesday evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian government. The evacuation, coordinated by the embassies of India in Damascus and Beirut, was put into effect following an assessment of the security situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“The Government of India today evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, following recent developments in that country,” it said in a late-night statement.

“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ from Jammu and Kashmir who were stranded at Saida Zainab. All Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Lebanon and will return by available commercial flights to India,” it said.

Damascus:

Syrians lived in terror for decades of what went on behind the concrete walls of Damascus’s security compound. Now the Assad dynasty has been toppled, its dungeons and torture chambers are giving up their secrets.

Rebel fighters stand guard at the entrances to the forbidden city in the capital’s Kafr Sousa district, where the feared security services had their headquarters alongside government offices.

The myriad of different agencies which kept tabs on the lives of ordinary Syrians each operated their own underground prisons and interrogation chambers inside the walled defence ministry compound.

Syrians lived in fear of being summoned for a round of questioning from which they might never return.

AFP found first responder Sleiman Kahwaji wandering around the complex this week trying to locate the building where he was questioned and then detained.

He said he was still at secondary school when he was arrested in 2014 on suspicion of “terrorism”, a frequent allegation under the rule of now toppled president Bashar al-Assad, who brooked no dissent.

‘My dear mother’

“I spent 55 days underground,” he said. “There were 55 of us in that dungeon. Two died, one from diabetes.”

Scribbled graffiti left by the prisoners are barely legible on the walls amid the darkness.

“My dear mother,” one had scribbled, probably in his own blood.

The cells that were used for solitary confinement are so small there isn’t even space to lie down.

As many as 80 prisoners per cell were crammed into the larger ones, forcing inmates to take turns to sleep, recalls another former detainee Thaer Mustafa, who was arrested for alleged desertion.

All remaining prisoners were freed on Sunday after their captors fled as the rebels swept into Damascus capping the lightning offensive they launched late last month.

A large crowd broke into the security zone and ransacked the sprawling offices on the upper floors of the complex.

Thousands of intelligence files lay abandoned, many of them scattered on the floor, detailing the activities of ordinary citizens subjected to draconian surveillance by security service agents.

One handwritten document lists more than 10,000 prisoners held on suspicion of membership of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Sunni Islamist group was anathema to the Assad clan who are members of Syria’s Alawite minority, followers of an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Brotherhood membership became punishable by death since 1980 two years before Assad’s father and predecessor Hafez ordered the army to crush its insurgency with an assault on the central city of Hama which killed between 10,000 and 40,000 people.

Alongside each prisoner’s name and date of birth, the security services noted the details of their detention and interrogation, and whether and when they had died.

Another abandoned file details the detention of a Briton of Syrian origin, who was subjected to a lie detector test over allegations he was working for British intelligence.

Paid informers 

Another, dated this January, details the investigation into a bomb attack on the Mazzeh neighbourhood of Damascus, in which an Iraqi was wounded.

Nothing was considered too trivial to escape the security services’ attention. There are files recording the activities of ordinary citizens as well as journalists and religious leaders.

Not even government ministers were immune. On a list of members of Assad’s government, a security service agent has carefully noted the confession of each minister — Sunni or Alawite, Christian or Druze.

The security services operated vast networks of paid informers, who provided the tiniest details of people’s daily lives.

Families have been arriving at the gates of the Damascus security zone since Saturday, desperately seeking word on the fate of their missing loved ones.

Many come after first visiting Saydnaya Prison, a vast detention complex on the outskirts of Damascus where many of those who survived interrogation at security headquarters were taken for long-term incarceration.

“We heard that there were secret dungeons. I’m looking for my son Obada Amini, who was arrested in 2013,” said Khouloud Amini, 53, her husband and daughter by her side.

“He was in his fourth year at the engineering faculty, I went to Saydnaya but I didn’t find him.

“I was told there were underground dungeons here. I hope that all Syrian prisoners are freed.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rebel fighters stand on a vehicle, after rebels seized the capital and ousted President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, December 9, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A day after Islamist rebels captured power in Syria, India on Monday (December 9, 2024) called for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process to bring stability in that country.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is monitoring the unfolding developments in Syria.

Follow Syria civil war LIVE updates on December 9

“We are monitoring the situation in Syria in the light of ongoing developments,” it said.

“We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.”

“We advocate a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process respecting the interests and aspirations of all sections of Syrian society,” the MEA said in a statement.

It further said the Indian embassy in Damascus is in contact with the Indian community, for their safety and security.

Damascus:

In a seismic moment for the Middle East, Islamist rebels in Syria announced President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster on Sunday after seizing control of Damascus, forcing him to flee and ending his family’s decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war. The fall of Bashar al-Assad came as a major blow to the influence of Russia and Iran in the heart of the region, key allies who propped up the President during critical periods in the conflict.

The end of the Assad family’s five-decade rule in Syria is set to reshape the power balance in the region, with regional and global forces rising to fill the power vacuum left behind by the dramatic regime change. While the Western and Arab states, along with Israel, would try to curtail Iran’s influence in Syria, it is unlikely for them to support a radical Islamist regime to replace Assad, according to a report by CNN.

For Iran the fall of Syria could shatter its so-called Axis of Resistance, comprising allied states and militia.

What Led To Asaad’s Fall?

Rebels reportedly were encouraged to make an advance for Aleppo last week after Israel debilitated Hezbollah and weakened Iran’s footprint in the region. “Due to the Lebanese war and decrease in Hezbollah forces, (Assad’s) regime has less support,” Hadi al-Bahra, a Syrian opposition leader representing anti-Assad groups told news agency Reuters in an interview. 

He added that Iran-backed militias also have fewer resources, and Russia is providing less air cover to Assad’s forces due to its “Ukraine problem”. 

What’s At Stake?

Iran

For years, Syria was used by Iran to expand its regional influence through proxy groups stationed in the majorly Sunni nation. Tehran, along with its proxy Hezbollah, have helped the Syrian government forces regain lost territory.  The Islamic Republic also sent its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders to advise Assad’s military, which proved instrumental in keeping the President in Power.  

However, since the beginning of the Middle Eastern conflict in October last year after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its attack on Israel, Hezbollah pulled its forces out of Syria to focus on its war with Israel. Iran has been reportedly using supply routes in Syria to transfer weapons to its proxies fighting Israel. The fall of Aleppo and potentially other cities bordering Lebanon could disrupt those routes, placing Iran in a difficult position. Losing Syria would be “a huge blow” for Iran, according to experts. 

“The investment Iranians have made in Syria is very significant, it’s an important land bridge to Lebanon, but also the alliance the Iranians have with the Assad regime has lasted across the Islamic Republic’s history,” Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Washington DC-based Quincy Institute told CNN. 

As per the report, Iran would want to use its proxies in the region as leverage in potential talks with incoming US President Donald Trump’s administration.

“If Iran loses too much of their position in the region, will they be too weak to negotiate? But if they fight back to try and retain as much of that position as possible, do they risk escalating the war to the point where diplomacy may no longer be possible?” Mr Parsi said. 

Lebanon

As per experts, the events in Syria are bound to impact Lebanon, where a truce deal between Tehran’s proxy Hezbollah and Israel is hanging by a thread. Hezbollah was a crucial player in keeping the Asaad regime afloat, but it has been weakened by the war with Israel. 

In case the Syrian insurgents manage to reach the Lebanese border, Hezbollah’s key logistics and supply route from Iran– which passes through Syria and Iraq– could be cut off, confining Tehran’s proxy in Lebanon. 

“One of the causes of what is happening today in Syria is the control of the Syrian-Lebanese borders to prevent the passage of strategic weapons into Lebanon,” Euronews quoted Antoine Habchi, Lebanese MP from the Bekka Valley, as saying. 

“Turkey has tried to make sure that the Lebanese borders are not a route for the transfer of strategic weapons through Syria. Even al-Assad doesn’t control passage through his own territory here, which is controlled by other factions and international forces, and notably Iran,” Mr Habchi added. 

Turkey

Turkey had been seeking to increase its leverage with President Assad to boost its standing in the region and allow it to keep closer control of Kurdish separatists, located along the Turkish-Syria border, to create a buffer zone. Ankara had represented the rebels in negotiations with Russia in the past decade, which eventually led to a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and Opposition forces in 2020.

Despite its support for opposition forces, Turkey has not ruled out a rapprochement with Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long opposed Kurdish nationalism. He has time and again said that his ultimate goal is to eliminate the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish far-left militant and political group based in Turkey and Iraq that has fought the Turkish state for more than three decades.

Another goal for Ankara is to reportedly maintain control over oil-rich Syrian sanctuaries in semi-autonomous northern areas of the country. 

Israel

The imbalance in power in Syria has also caught Israel in a difficult position. While President Assad viewed Israel as an enemy, he did not pose a direct threat to Tel Aviv and opted to not respond to the regular Israeli strikes in Syria over the past year. 

However, Asaad’s regime allowed its territory to be used by Iran to supply weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. But the fall of Mr Asaad did not come as a relief to Israel as the group leading the rebellion in Syria is Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) whose leader Abu Muhammad Al Jolani is a former al Qaeda fighter with an Islamist ideology that opposes Israel.

“Israel is in between Iran, its proxies and Syria’s Islamic rebels,” Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official, told CNN. 

“None of the choices are good as far as Israel is concerned but for the time being Iran and its proxies are weakened, which is good,” he said

The newly revived conflict has allowed Tel Aviv to resume strikes on targets in Syrian territory. Suspected Israeli airstrikes hit Mazzeh district of Damascus on Sunday, Reuters reported. 

As per the report, jets believed to be Israeli also bombed the Khalkhala air base in southern Syria which was evacuated by the Syrian army overnight. The regional security sources also told the agency that at least six strikes hit the main air base in the north of the city of Suweida which has a large stockpile of rockets and missiles left by Syrian troops.

The attack appeared aimed at preventing these weapons from falling into the hands of radical groups, one source told Reuters.

New Delhi:

Syria’s future hinges on uncertainty after the abrupt fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Once thought unassailable, Assad’s rule collapsed under the pressure of a rapid offensive led by a group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the Al-Nusra Front affiliated with terror group Al-Qaeda, and allied factions. 

Bashar al-Assad came to power in 2000, succeeding his father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron grip for nearly three decades. Initially, there were hopes that Bashar would bring reform and openness to Syria. However, these aspirations were dashed as he maintained the repressive structure of his father’s regime.

READ | Fall Of Assads: How An Alawite Family Ruled Over A Sunni Nation For Decades

Assad’s legacy will forever be marred by his response to the protests in 2011, which escalated into a brutal civil war. Over half a million people have been killed, six million became refugees, and countless more are internally displaced. With military backing from Russia and Iran, Assad survived against a fragmented opposition, relying on Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias like Hezbollah.

Preoccupied with their own struggles – Russia in Ukraine and Iran facing regional challenges – neither could offer significant support. Within days, the rebels captured key cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, before advancing into Damascus itself.

A Fragile Transition

Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, known now by his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, announced the formation of a transitional authority. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali has been appointed as the caretaker of state institutions.

READ | “End Of Era Of Tyranny”: Bashar Al-Assad Flees Syria As Rebels Move In

In a statement, al-Jalali expressed his willingness to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the Syrian people.

Despite these efforts, HTS’s history – rooted in al-Qaeda – casts a long shadow over its promises of a diplomatic and nationalist approach. Scepticism abounds regarding its long-term intentions and ability to govern a fractured country.

The end of Assad’s rule does not immediately translate to peace for Syrians. HTS’s past association with extremist groups raises fears of a harsh, authoritarian rule under the guise of Islamist governance. Millions of displaced Syrians, both within the country and abroad, face an uncertain future as they watch the unfolding events with hope and trepidation.

The Russian Setback

The fall of Assad marks a blow to Russian influence in the Middle East. Since its intervention in 2015, Russia has been the regime’s most steadfast supporter, maintaining strategic assets such as the Tartous naval facility and the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia. These bases are vital for projecting power across the Mediterranean and into Africa.

READ | How A Syrian Teen Triggered Al-Assad’s Fall With Graffiti 13 Years Ago

However, Russia’s military focus is currently consumed by its war in Ukraine. The loss of control in Syria raises questions about Moscow’s ability to safeguard its strategic footholds in the region. 

Iran Losing The Axis Of Resistance

For Iran, Assad’s downfall disrupts the “Axis of Resistance” that connects Tehran to Hezbollah in Lebanon through Syria. This network has been crucial for transferring weapons and exerting influence in the region. With Hezbollah weakened from its recent conflict with Israel and Iran’s proxies in Yemen and Iraq under pressure, Tehran’s war strategy will need a different approach.

READ | Mass Hangings, Torture That Destroyed Hope: Syria’s ‘Human Slaughterhouse’

Iran’s preoccupation with Israel, which it views as an existential threat, further limits its capacity to respond effectively in Syria. Israel’s recent targeting of Iranian assets has compounded these challenges, leaving Tehran on the defensive.

Turkey’s Role

Turkey’s role in Assad’s fall remains ambiguous. While President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had long advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict, his calls were consistently rebuffed by Assad. Turkey, home to over three million Syrian refugees, has a vested interest in resolving the conflict to facilitate their return.

READ | Where Is Bashar Al-Assad? Questions Over Syrian President’s Whereabouts

Ankara has denied direct involvement in the HTS offensive, but analysts suggest that Turkey’s tacit approval or indirect support may have played a role. Erdogan’s priorities include securing Turkey’s borders and countering Kurdish militias in northern Syria.

Israel’s Strategic Thinking

For Israel, the collapse of Assad’s regime represents both opportunity and risk. The fall of Iran’s primary ally in Syria disrupts the supply chain to Hezbollah, but the emergence of HTS as a dominant force introduces new uncertainties.

Israel has reinforced its presence along the Golan Heights, preparing for potential spillovers or attempts by rebels to seize Syrian army stockpiles. The Israeli military is also wary of Iran and Hezbollah exploiting the chaos to acquire advanced weaponry.

The Bashar al-Assad government has, by all means, fallen in Syria. The Sunni-majority country, rocked by a fierce rebellion against a Shia ruler, now looks ahead for a new start after half a century.

New Delhi:

In another setback to President Bashar al-Assad’s hold on power, the Syrian government forces have lost control of Daraa city, widely regarded as the birthplace of Syria’s 2011 civil uprising.

New Delhi:

Concerned about the deteriorating situation in Syria, the Government of India put out a late-night advisory to all Indian nationals to completely “avoid all travel to Syria until further notice”.

In the statement, which shared an emergency helpline number and an email ID, the Ministry of External Affairs appealed to all Indians currently in Syria to “remain in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus”.

New Delhi’s urgent notification also stated that “Those who can, are advised to leave (Syria) by the earliest available commercial flights.” For those who cannot, the advisory asked them to “observe utmost precaution about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum.”

The emergency helpline number shared is for the Indian Embassy in Damascus. It is +963 993385973. This number can also be used on WhatsApp the statement read, adding an emergency email ID as well – which is hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in. Updates shall be shared once the staff is contacted, the advisory stated.

Travel advisory for Syria:https://t.co/bOnSP3tS03 pic.twitter.com/zg1AH7n6RB

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 6, 2024

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SYRIA – AND HOW BAD IS THE SITUATION

Syria is in the midst of a political turmoil, with the Russia and Iran-backed Bashar Al-Assad regime finding itself surrounded by rebel groups and militias which are backed by Turkey. Rebel forces have, over the last week, pressed a lightning offensive across Syria aiming to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

The Islamist-led rebels were at the gates of Syria’s Homs, a war monitor told news agency AFP. Several other Syrian cities have fallen out of government control – some without even a bullet having to be fired.

The offensive by the Islamist rebels have been so swift, that Syria’s second city Aleppo and strategically located Hama have already fallen from President Bashar al-Assad’s control. This has happened for the first time since the civil war began in 2011.

Bashar al-Assad’s clan has ruled Syria for the past five decades, but for the first time ever, it has looked truly vulnerable to a total collapse. Should the rebels capture Homs, it would cut the seat of power in the capital Damascus from the Mediterranean coast, a key bastion of Bashar Assad.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, by Friday morning (local time), the Islamist rebels were less than five kilometres from the edge of Homs.

WHO IS BEHIND THIS – AND WHAT IS HIS PAST

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS rebel alliance, has categorically said that the goal of this offensive is to overthrow Bashar al-Assad and end his rule in Syria.

“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” Jolani told CNN in an interview.

The Islamist rebel alliance conducting the offensive that began on November 27 is led by HTS, which stems from the Syrian branch of the Al Qaeda, but has sought to moderate its image in recent times.

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is also known as the ‘blue-eyed boy’ of ISIS terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Several years ago, he was kept at the infamous US detention facility in Iraq. But al-Jolani, once written-off as a lost cause by the US, has emerged from the shadows. He now finds himself as a power figure in Syria.

Interestingly, the Islamist rebels launched their offensive in Syria the same day a ceasefire took effect in the war between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, which along with Russia and Iran have been firm backers of the Bashar al-Assad government.

SYRIA’S FATE HANGS IN THE BALANCE

Turkey, which has extended its full support to the rebels, said on Friday that its Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shall be meeting his Russian and Iranian counterparts this weekend in Qatar for an emergency discussion on the situation in Syria.

Meanwhile, the political wing of the HTS-led rebel coalition has reportedly reached out to Russia and China to support them in their “struggle for liberation” from the decades-old Syrian regime headed by Bashar al-Assad. They have reportedly informed Moscow and Beijing that they would like to officially establish diplomatic ties with both countries.

The foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq, and Syria also met on Friday in Baghdad to discuss the goings-on in Syria.

Russia, which is heavily invested in the war in Ukraine, has not yet revealed how it is reading this situation and what its next step will be, but Moscow has hinted for providing limited support to the Bashar Assad regime to defend itself against the rebels.
 

New Delhi:

Concerned about the deteriorating situation in Syria, the Government of India put out a late-night advisory to all Indian nationals to completely “avoid all travel to Syria until further notice”.

In the statement, which shared an emergency helpline number and an email ID, the Ministry of External Affairs appealed to all Indians currently in Syria to “remain in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus”.

New Delhi’s urgent notification also stated that “Those who can, are advised to leave (Syria) by the earliest available commercial flights.” For those who cannot, the advisory asked them to “observe utmost precaution about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum.”

The emergency helpline number shared is for the Indian Embassy in Damascus. It is +963 993385973. This number can also be used on WhatsApp the statement read, adding an emergency email ID as well – which is hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in. Updates shall be shared once the staff is contacted, the advisory stated.

Travel advisory for Syria:https://t.co/bOnSP3tS03 pic.twitter.com/zg1AH7n6RB

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 6, 2024

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SYRIA – AND HOW BAD IS THE SITUATION

Syria is in the midst of a political turmoil, with the Russia and Iran-backed Bashar Al-Assad regime finding itself surrounded by rebel groups and militias which are backed by Turkey. Rebel forces have, over the last week, pressed a lightning offensive across Syria aiming to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

The Islamist-led rebels were at the gates of Syria’s Homs, a war monitor told news agency AFP. Several other Syrian cities have fallen out of government control – some without even a bullet having to be fired.

The offensive by the Islamist rebels have been so swift, that Syria’s second city Aleppo and strategically located Hama have already fallen from President Bashar al-Assad’s control. This has happened for the first time since the civil war began in 2011.

Bashar al-Assad’s clan has ruled Syria for the past five decades, but for the first time ever, it has looked truly vulnerable to a total collapse. Should the rebels capture Homs, it would cut the seat of power in the capital Damascus from the Mediterranean coast, a key bastion of Bashar Assad.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, by Friday morning (local time), the Islamist rebels were less than five kilometres from the edge of Homs.

WHO IS BEHIND THIS – AND WHAT IS HIS PAST

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS rebel alliance, has categorically said that the goal of this offensive is to overthrow Bashar al-Assad and end his rule in Syria.

“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” Jolani told CNN in an interview.

The Islamist rebel alliance conducting the offensive that began on November 27 is led by HTS, which stems from the Syrian branch of the Al Qaeda, but has sought to moderate its image in recent times.

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is also known as the ‘blue-eyed boy’ of ISIS terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Several years ago, he was kept at the infamous US detention facility in Iraq. But al-Jolani, once written-off as a lost cause by the US, has emerged from the shadows. He now finds himself as a power figure in Syria.

Interestingly, the Islamist rebels launched their offensive in Syria the same day a ceasefire took effect in the war between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, which along with Russia and Iran have been firm backers of the Bashar al-Assad government.

SYRIA’S FATE HANGS IN THE BALANCE

Turkey, which has extended its full support to the rebels, said on Friday that its Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shall be meeting his Russian and Iranian counterparts this weekend in Qatar for an emergency discussion on the situation in Syria.

Meanwhile, the political wing of the HTS-led rebel coalition has reportedly reached out to Russia and China to support them in their “struggle for liberation” from the decades-old Syrian regime headed by Bashar al-Assad. They have reportedly informed Moscow and Beijing that they would like to officially establish diplomatic ties with both countries.

The foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq, and Syria also met on Friday in Baghdad to discuss the goings-on in Syria.

Russia, which is heavily invested in the war in Ukraine, has not yet revealed how it is reading this situation and what its next step will be, but Moscow has hinted for providing limited support to the Bashar Assad regime to defend itself against the rebels.