World leaders govern their countries in various ways. Many countries operate as democratic structures, free from family-based and authoritarian systems. In these countries, leaders are elected periodically through elections according to constitutional timeframes.
In other countries, a single leader rules continuously; after him, the leadership is inherited by a family member. Although this has been a tradition since ancient times, such countries have minimal democracy. Similarly, in some other countries, leadership oscillates between one family or several families. The Asian region provides good examples, such as India’s Gandhi family, Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa family, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
Assad Family Rule Falls After 53 Years
The current controversial situation has emerged in Syria. The special circumstance is the ousting of the Assad family, which ruled the country for 53 years through a popular uprising. This iron-fisted rule has come to an end. President Bashar al-Assad came to power in 2000 after his father ruled for nearly three decades.
These regimes were not created through democratic means. The struggle for democracy turned into a violent situation. While Assad had a unique opportunity to lead the country peacefully, he chose the opposite path. Known as a leader who brutally suppressed a democratic uprising, his actions led to a destructive civil war, resulting in over 500,000 deaths. More than 12 million people fled their homes and villages.
The Rebels’ Operation
They first captured Aleppo city. With the collapse of the Syrian army, the struggle moved along the southern highway towards the capital, Damascus. Support for this protest came from all directions, including strong public backing. Using this strength, the operations continued until Bashar al-Assad was expelled, turning all of Syria into a single battlefield.
This can be identified as a successful conclusion to the years-long struggle in Syria. Under continuous rebel attacks, the Syrian government forces retreated, creating a problematic situation regarding Assad’s security. The rebels’ final strongholds were the Aleppo and Idlib provinces bordering Turkey, with a population of over four million.
While the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group maintained dominance in these areas, several other groups that challenged the government also extended their control in these regions, including Jihadi groups. Notably, groups representing the Syrian National Army maintained authority in these areas.
Who is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham?
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has become a global focus. This group previously appeared under a different name, the al-Nusra Front, in 2012. They had pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda on several occasions.
Thus, the al-Nusra Front strongly opposed President Assad. Significantly, the al-Nusra group abandoned its ties with the al-Qaeda organisation in 2016. By 2017, they had established themselves as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation by incorporating several other groups.
$10 Million Bounty for Rebel Leader
However, global powers maintain that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continues to operate as an organisation affiliated with al-Qaeda. The United Nations, America, Britain, and numerous other countries strongly believe this view.
They still refer to this organisation as the al-Nusra Front. The group’s leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is specifically designated as a global terrorist. The United States declared this. The United States has announced a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture.
Regardless of the circumstances, no one could stop Tahrir al-Sham’s advance. They managed to establish their power while strongly responding to al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups, destroying their opponents. The Tahrir al-Sham organisation has pledged to create a government based on a council chosen by state institutions and the people.
Idlib as a Single Battlefield
However, Tahrir al-Sham organisation faced various obstacles during this journey. Indeed, it was a serious challenge. One factor was the attacks launched by Syrian government forces, which were due to the Syrian government forces’ attempts to regain control.
As a result, the Idlib region had been a single battlefield for several years. In 2020, the Syrian government launched a massive operation to recapture Idlib. Although ceasefires were implemented on several occasions, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation strongly accused Syrian government forces of launching attacks against civilians.
Under these circumstances, the organisation decided to launch attacks against Syrian government forces on November 27. This situation led to years of continued fighting.
Assad’s Disadvantage
Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese organisation, stood for the Syrian government. However, Hezbollah has been severely suppressed under Israeli attacks operating in Lebanon.
Similarly, Israeli attacks have severely impacted the Syrian government. Therefore, the lack of support from pro-government armed groups benefited the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation. Accordingly, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led rebels managed to seize power in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, on November 30.
While Assad claimed he would destroy the rebels, it remained just a statement. From there, after several days of fierce fighting, the city of Hama also fell to the rebels.
The Rebels’ Announcement
The rebels’ next target was capturing Homs, Syria’s third-largest city. It took them only 24 hours to achieve this. Other rebel groups operating from areas bordering Jordan took control of the cities of Dera and Suweida within 24 hours.
This accelerated their march towards Damascus. Recently, the rebels issued a special announcement stating they had entered Damascus. They also announced the release of all prisoners who had been victims of state repression held in Sednaya prison for years.
Assad Flees
A few hours passed before Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation issued a special announcement. It declared that the cruel ruler Bashar al-Assad had fled the country. The announcement stated that the 50-year period of oppression had also departed with Assad.
It proclaimed that a new era in Syria would begin from this point, ending 13 years of brutal rule. Bashar al-Assad fled the country just moments before rebels captured Damascus. However, his exact destination hasn’t been officially announced yet. There is evidence suggesting he left by air.
Syrian PM’s Statement
Meanwhile, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali has issued a statement saying they are ready to cooperate with any leadership the Syrian people choose. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s leader Jolani has instructed his forces not to enter any institutions forcefully. He has decided not to allow his associates to enter any institution until the Prime Minister officially hands them over.
Summary
By the evening of the 7th, Syrian government forces had abandoned their barracks, and the Syrian President ended his 24-year rule. Protests against him that began in 2011 later turned into a civil war. More than half a million people died in the war.
Millions have lost their homes. Russian forces arrived to assist Syria in 2015. This allowed the President to defeat both ISIS and organisations fighting against Assad, securing control of about 70% of the country. Iran-backed Hezbollah and other Shia armed groups also provided support.
However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s suppression of Hezbollah weakened the forces supporting President Assad, which became an advantage for rebels against the Syrian government. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces led the fight against Assad’s rule. Their leader is Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
These groups were formerly the al-Nusra group that fought in Syria. However, the fact that America has placed a $10 million bounty on Mohammed Jolani’s head cannot be ignored in this discussion. While America claims not to intervene in Syria’s battles, the collapse of Assad’s rule is being discussed as a factor that could destabilise the Western Asian region.
