Syria Civil War Update: Rebels have staged a coup in Syria. The rebel group has captured the capital Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country after the siege by rebels. Assad had been in power here for the last 24 years. The rebels say they ended 50 years of oppression and 13 years of atrocities and crime. The rebels are currently celebrating their victory by firing at different places in Syria.

Under whose leadership will the new government be formed?

According to Reuters report, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left for an unknown destination from Damascus in an IL-76T plane. His plane disappeared from radar after leaving Damascus. After he left the country, the rebels announced a coup. The rebel group said that PM Jalali will look after the work till the transfer of power. PM Ghazi al-Jalali appealed to the Syrian people not to damage public properties.

Which countries can give asylum to Assad

The rebel group claimed to have captured Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Daraa, Damascus, which has been confirmed by the Syrian Army. It is being told that Assad may leave Syria and go to Russia or Iran, although there has been no confirmation of this yet. According to media reports, the rebels had announced that Assad had fled and a new era had begun in Syria from December 8, 2024.

Why is Assad’s regime being described as a dark chapter?

Bashar al-Assad has been in power as the President of Syria since 2000. He ruled Syria for 24 years from 200-2024. Before this, his father Hafiz al-Assad had ruled Syria for 30 years. Under Assad’s rule, millions of people were massacred and millions were forced to flee their homes.

To retain power, Assad is accused of firing indiscriminately on students, launching tanks and crossing all limits of oppression. Assad’s family kept the Syrian people far away from democracy and killed every leader who demanded democracy.

When Syrian people took to the streets in 2011 demanding democracy, al-Assad brutally suppressed that rebellion. He called every protestor a terrorist and attacked the protestors with cannon balls, due to which civil war started in Syria. Assad used chemical weapons against his own citizens.

How Bashar al-Assad became weak

Bashar al-Assad was successful in saving his power so far because he is getting the support of Russia, Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah. Till now these countries were helping Assad in every way. Now Iran is not in a position to help Assad, because it itself is on the verge of war with Israel. Earlier Hezbollah also used to send its fighters to save Bashar al-Assad, but now it too has become weak. Russia supported Assad for the past few days and carried out air strikes against rebel groups in Syria, but due to the war with Ukraine, it also did not get the help of Assad like before.

Why difficult times for Iran?

The coup in Syria has increased Iran’s tension amid the ongoing conflict with Israel in the Middle East. According to Iranian media, the developments in Syria have destabilized Iran’s regional alliances. Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that the incident in Syria is proof that Israel and America want to destabilize the Arab country.

Hezbollah and Hamas have already suffered a lot in the war with Israel in the North East. Prominent leaders of both these groups have also been killed. In Syria, President Bashar al-Assad’s army had to face defeat from the rebels. In such a situation, Iran has turned against Israel because it was dependent on its regional allies.

Also read: Syria: Rebels entered Damascus, soldiers ordered to surrender, Bashar al-Assad fled the country! Know 10 latest updates