Syria: the historic fall of the Al-Assad regime

Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, after 55 years of family rule and bloody dictatorship, fell on the night of 7 to 8 December. The rebel coalition, led by the Islamist HTC, peacefully seized Damascus, just a few days after the capture of Aleppo. The ‘Butcher of Damascus’ fled to Moscow, where his old ally Vladimir Putin offered him asylum.
For the Syrians, and in particular for the millions of exiles, this is a time of joy and relief. Bashar Al-Assad has literally ruined the country and its economy, and martyred its population for too long, not hesitating to use chemical weapons. However, many remain cautious about Syria’s new strongman, HTC leader Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, who, despite his desire to project a moderate image, remains a jihadist.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, in a Middle East destabilised by months of war, has shaken the entire geopolitical chessboard. Iran and Russia have lost a valuable ally, while Israel and Turkey have been strengthened. Above all, it is now up to the Syrian people to rebuild their country and shape a stable and peaceful future.