Agence France-Presse

Syrian rebel fighters and their supporters celebrated after entering Damascus with no resistance on Sunday

It’s a new dawn for the people of Syria, as two weeks ago, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power by an Islamist led coalition of rebel forces. Starting during the Arab spring in 2011, the Syrian civil war has lasted for over thirteen years, and for the last few years, the western-backed rebels had looked all but defeated. But the Rebels came roaring back in a surprise offensive on Nov. 27^th. In just two days, the rebels had captured Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, and continued marching south towards Assad’s capital in Damascus. They captured Damascus on Dec. 8^th. That same day, after fifty years of Assad family rule, Assad fled aboard a plane to Moscow, where he was received warmly by his Russian backers.

So how were the rebels able to finish a thirteen-year long war in a few weeks? This is because the rebel offensive came at just the right time. Assad’s backers, Russia, who’s military capacity is tied up in its Ukrainian invasion, and Iran and Hezbollah, who are both focusing their forces on Israel, were unable to help Assad stave off the rebels as they had before. Without foreign support, Assad’s poorly paid troops were no match for the rebel forces, and many deserted.

With Assad gone, control of the country now falls to the Rebel coalition, some of whom are western-backed, but which is currently headed by the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). This has caused some problems, as HTS and its leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani are classified as terrorists by the United States and other western nations. There are fears that the new government will be an oppressive Islamic Jihadist dictatorship. However, the new government has stated that they will build a “homeland for all, including all sects and social classes”. HTS has also vowed to respect the rights of all minorities within Syria. However, this many human rights abuses have been reported within their already controlled territory.
Only time will tell whether Syria will transform into a free democracy or an Islamist state, but for now, most people are just glad to be rid of the brutal Assad, who is reported to have used chemical weapons on his own people.