Showing posts with label Bashar Al-Assad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bashar Al-Assad. Show all posts
Monday, December 16, 2024
Assad Says He Left Hmeimim Base in Syria on 8 December for Moscow
THE GUARDIAN: Syria’s Bashar al-Assad said on Monday he was evacuated to Russia from the Hmeimim base in Syria on the evening of 8 December as it came under drone attacks, after leaving Damascus that morning with opposition fighters closing in. [Read more here.]
Friday, December 13, 2024
Syria: Inside Captagon Drug Factory which Funded Assad’s Brutal Regime
Dec 12, 2024 | It's been called the poor man's cocaine. Captagon: the drug that funded Bashar al-Assad's brutal rule in Syria. It's an amphetamine which - in high doses - induces feelings of euphoria and invulnerability.
Popular with soldiers, they say it offers 'chemical courage' and reportedly suppresses pain. And it's made the Assad family billions - more than 10 billion dollars a year, by recent estimates. Money it used to shore up a crumbling dynasty.
Correspondent: Lindsey Hilsum
Filmed and edited by Soren Munk
Produced by Rob Hodge
Related material here.
My God! And OUR PATHETIC Western politicians and governments worry about people enjoying a smoke: the smoke of a cigarette! It’s a pity that our politicians don’t get their priorities straightened out! They sweat the little things whilst the big things are ignored. Conveniently, of course, because they haven't the courage to tackle problems like this. Unbelievable! – © Mark Alexander
Popular with soldiers, they say it offers 'chemical courage' and reportedly suppresses pain. And it's made the Assad family billions - more than 10 billion dollars a year, by recent estimates. Money it used to shore up a crumbling dynasty.
Correspondent: Lindsey Hilsum
Filmed and edited by Soren Munk
Produced by Rob Hodge
Related material here.
My God! And OUR PATHETIC Western politicians and governments worry about people enjoying a smoke: the smoke of a cigarette! It’s a pity that our politicians don’t get their priorities straightened out! They sweat the little things whilst the big things are ignored. Conveniently, of course, because they haven't the courage to tackle problems like this. Unbelievable! – © Mark Alexander
Obscurity Awaits Bashar al-Assad in Moscow after Putin Offered Personal Escape Route
THE GUARDIAN: Deposed Syrian president and his family are unlikely to live an extravagant lifestyle in Russia. Instead, they will probably be hidden away in a secluded estate, shielded from public view
He was whisked away without a last message to his people, the aircraft’s transponder deliberately switched off to avoid detection as it departed from an airbase in Syria.
The operation was carried out with such secrecy that even the dictator’s brother reportedly was not informed.
A decade earlier, it was Russian military power that saved Bashar al-Assad’s rule by intervening on his side during what appeared to be a losing civil war he violently attempted to suppress. Now, as rebel troops closed in on Damascus, Moscow provided Assad with a personal escape route.
According to Bloomberg, Assad required some persuading from Russia to leave the country, with Russian intelligence agents orchestrating his escape to Moscow.
Assad’s travel options were always going to be limited. As a pariah on the global stage, his two major allies, Russia and Iran, were the obvious places for refuge.
By choosing Moscow, observers suggest, Assad opted for a familiar place that aligned with his lavish habits, while also selecting a refuge with relative geopolitical stability.
“Bashar and his family are avowedly secular, even though they identify with the Alawite sect, so Russia always had more appeal than Iran in that sense,” said David Lesch, a Syria expert at Trinity University in Texas who has met with Assad on multiple occasions. » | Guardian international staff | Friday, December 13, 2024
He was whisked away without a last message to his people, the aircraft’s transponder deliberately switched off to avoid detection as it departed from an airbase in Syria.
The operation was carried out with such secrecy that even the dictator’s brother reportedly was not informed.
A decade earlier, it was Russian military power that saved Bashar al-Assad’s rule by intervening on his side during what appeared to be a losing civil war he violently attempted to suppress. Now, as rebel troops closed in on Damascus, Moscow provided Assad with a personal escape route.
According to Bloomberg, Assad required some persuading from Russia to leave the country, with Russian intelligence agents orchestrating his escape to Moscow.
Assad’s travel options were always going to be limited. As a pariah on the global stage, his two major allies, Russia and Iran, were the obvious places for refuge.
By choosing Moscow, observers suggest, Assad opted for a familiar place that aligned with his lavish habits, while also selecting a refuge with relative geopolitical stability.
“Bashar and his family are avowedly secular, even though they identify with the Alawite sect, so Russia always had more appeal than Iran in that sense,” said David Lesch, a Syria expert at Trinity University in Texas who has met with Assad on multiple occasions. » | Guardian international staff | Friday, December 13, 2024
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
CNN Gets First-hand Look at Ousted Syrian President's Palace
Assad’s Fall Has Changed the Middle East Forever
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The collapse of the regime of Bashar al-Assad not only upends decades of Assad family rule in Syria, it also promises to realign power across the Middle East.
The situation on the ground remains highly uncertain, especially around questions of whether the rebels can consolidate control and how they will govern if they do. But as a new reality in Syria sets in, a reordering of regional power dynamics is already taking shape that dramatically diminishes Iran’s influence and positions Turkey to play a critical role in shaping the future of a post-Assad Syria.
During Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, no fewer than six foreign militaries engaged in the conflict, underscoring the major geostrategic stakes at play. Among them, Iran stands out for its unfettered investment in propping up Mr. al-Assad, reportedly spending billions of dollars to support the regime and mobilizing tens of thousands of proxy militia fighters. For Tehran, Syria was the leading edge of its forward defense strategy, protecting its interests in the region by projecting its power and influence. The fall of Mr. al-Assad dramatically undercuts this influence, depriving Tehran of a key Arab ally and cutting the land bridge to its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah. Uprooted from its decades-long strategic posture in Syria, Iran is unlikely to recover from this significant setback for the foreseeable future. » | Mona Yacoubian | Ms. Yacoubian is vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at the U.S. Institute of Peace. | Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Iran's Ayatollahs 'At Risk' as Assad's Ousting Humiliates Tehran | The Story
Dec 11, 2024 | As a new leadership emerges in Syria, disparate groups remain in control of different parts of the country. What action is being taken by the rest of the world, and what does it mean for countries like Iran?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times.
Guest: Mark Urban, Writer and Columnist, The Sunday Times.
Host: Luke Jones.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times.
Guest: Mark Urban, Writer and Columnist, The Sunday Times.
Host: Luke Jones.
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
ITN Archive: When Britain Welcomed Bashar al-Assad - Tony Blair Courts Syrian President Ahead of Iraq War (2002)
What now for Asma al-Assad – the former British private schoolgirl turned international pariah: The former first lady was once seen as a symbol of female empowerment – Syria’s equivalent of Princess Diana. Now she’s in exile in Russia »
They ‘didn’t look the type’: how the media was fooled by Bashar and Asma al-Assad: Some journalists underestimated the threat of the brutal president, while his first lady was glamorised in a Vogue feature »
Gushing Vogue profile of ousted Syrian president Bashar Al Assad's wife Asma resurfaces after being wiped from their website »
LE FIGARO :
Asma el-Assad : le double visage glaçant d’une épouse de dictateur : PORTRAIT - L’épouse du dictateur syrien renversé ce dimanche par la coalition rebelle aurait trouvé refuge à Moscou avec sa famille. Longtemps visage glamour et moderne de la Syrie, elle est devenue, au fil des années, le symbole d’un régime répressif. »
Syrie: l'épouse du président Bachar al-Assad atteinte de leucémie : Selon un communiqué de la présidence, Asma, l’épouse du chef de l’État syrien Bachar al-Assad, qui s’était rétablie d’un cancer du sein, a été diagnostiquée d’une leucémie. Elle va subir un traitement. »
BILD:
Frau Assad war früher bei der Deutschen Bank: Asma al-Assad sollte den Fortschritt im Land verkörpern – und zeigte im Krieg gegen das eigene Volk ihr wahres Gesicht »
'There Were 59 of Us Locked in a 4x4 Cell': Syrian Shares Horror of Assad's Jails
Dec 10, 2024 | Former detainee Mahmoud Salmon describes the horrors of being imprisoned in Syria, when he was 17-years-old, for taking part in a peaceful protest against the Assad regime.
He told Sky News about his and his other inmates' experience of mental and physical torture.
He told Sky News about his and his other inmates' experience of mental and physical torture.
Bashar El-Assad: Power or Death
Dec 8, 2024 | This is the story of a man with two faces. The timid Doctor Bashar, who has long seduced the West and promised to move his country towards more democracy. And the terrible Mister Assad, dictator, who fights his own people in a civil war with hundreds of thousands of victims.
The terrible Mister Assad, dictator who fights his own people
Thanks to the testimonies of his relatives and former executives of the regime, the film tells the rise of a man who was not supposed to be president and deciphers a system that resembles that of the Mafia. With its godfathers, its settling of scores, and its billions in dirty money.
Bashar El-Assad received Syria as an inheritance from his father, Hafez El-Assad. He is the one who built this iron dictatorship that has held the country for nearly 50 years.
The film also explores the passionate ties that unite France and Syria. Leading French political figures, former ministers and diplomats, take us behind the scenes of this tumultuous relationship. A relationship that the story of Bashar El-Assad perfectly symbolises.
French presidents Jacques Chirac and then Nicolas Sarkozy initially considered him a valuable ally and rolled out the red carpet for him. Before bitterly regretting it.
Directed by Christophe Widemann
The terrible Mister Assad, dictator who fights his own people
Thanks to the testimonies of his relatives and former executives of the regime, the film tells the rise of a man who was not supposed to be president and deciphers a system that resembles that of the Mafia. With its godfathers, its settling of scores, and its billions in dirty money.
Bashar El-Assad received Syria as an inheritance from his father, Hafez El-Assad. He is the one who built this iron dictatorship that has held the country for nearly 50 years.
The film also explores the passionate ties that unite France and Syria. Leading French political figures, former ministers and diplomats, take us behind the scenes of this tumultuous relationship. A relationship that the story of Bashar El-Assad perfectly symbolises.
French presidents Jacques Chirac and then Nicolas Sarkozy initially considered him a valuable ally and rolled out the red carpet for him. Before bitterly regretting it.
Directed by Christophe Widemann
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Jihadi Terrorists Now Rule Syria
THE TELEGRAPH: Assad’s overthrow is welcome news. But our enemy’s enemy is not our friend
The overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria is down to Hamas. The terrorist group’s invasion of Israel on October 7 last year triggered a chain of events that severely weakened Iran and consequently left its Syrian client exposed. Alongside Russia, Tehran had been propping up Assad since the rebellion against his rule that began in 2011. During its defensive war following the October 7 massacres, however, Israel inflicted huge damage on Iran’s two most important proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In addition Iran itself was revealed to be a paper tiger during the damaging counter-strikes that followed Tehran’s largely ineffective missile barrages against Israel. » | Richard Kemp | Sunday, December 8, 2024
In a very short time, I fear that getting rid of Bashar al-Assad will not be something to celebrate. If I am not greatly mistaken, what will come next will be far, far worse. I believe that it is very naïve to think that all will now be well in Syria just because the Syrians are rid of Bashar al-Assad. Their problems are just beginning. The West is on the wrong side of history on this, yet again. – © Mark Alexander
The overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria is down to Hamas. The terrorist group’s invasion of Israel on October 7 last year triggered a chain of events that severely weakened Iran and consequently left its Syrian client exposed. Alongside Russia, Tehran had been propping up Assad since the rebellion against his rule that began in 2011. During its defensive war following the October 7 massacres, however, Israel inflicted huge damage on Iran’s two most important proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In addition Iran itself was revealed to be a paper tiger during the damaging counter-strikes that followed Tehran’s largely ineffective missile barrages against Israel. » | Richard Kemp | Sunday, December 8, 2024
In a very short time, I fear that getting rid of Bashar al-Assad will not be something to celebrate. If I am not greatly mistaken, what will come next will be far, far worse. I believe that it is very naïve to think that all will now be well in Syria just because the Syrians are rid of Bashar al-Assad. Their problems are just beginning. The West is on the wrong side of history on this, yet again. – © Mark Alexander
Who Is the Leader of Syrian Islamist Group HTS, and How Is the Region Reacting to Assad's Downfall?
Syria: Bashar al Assad Is in Moscow, Says Russian State Media
Dec 8, 2024 | Russian state media says fallen Syrian president Bashar al Assad is in Moscow with his family.
Quoting a source in the Kremlin, Russian state media outlet TASS said Mr Assad and his family members have been provided with asylum in the Russian capital.
There had been much speculation over Mr Assad’s whereabouts after reports he fled Damascus before the rebels arrived there this morning.
Russia, one of Assad's closest allies, confirmed earlier today that he had left Syria, but did not say where he was, or whether Moscow had given him refuge.
Quoting a source in the Kremlin, Russian state media outlet TASS said Mr Assad and his family members have been provided with asylum in the Russian capital.
There had been much speculation over Mr Assad’s whereabouts after reports he fled Damascus before the rebels arrived there this morning.
Russia, one of Assad's closest allies, confirmed earlier today that he had left Syria, but did not say where he was, or whether Moscow had given him refuge.
Who Are the Syrian Rebels and Where Is Bashar al-Assad? | BBC News
Dec 8, 2024 | Syrian rebel forces in Damascus have declared the capital city "free" of Bashar al-Assad after nearly 25 years of rule, as the former ruler is said to have left by plane for an unknown destination.
The initial offensive to defeat Assad's regime was led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - which was set up in 2012 under a different name, al-Nusra Front, and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda the following year.
HTS publicly broke ranks with al-Qaeda in 2016 but is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, Turkey and other countries.
The US has named the group's leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, as a specially designated global terrorist and offered a $10m reward for information that leads to his capture.
Jawlani told CNN on Friday that "the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime" and that he planned to create a government based on institutions and a "council chosen by the people".
Frank Gardner’s distinction between Islam and Islamism is shockingly inaccurate. He says the difference between Islam and Islamism is that Islamists do not believe in the separation of politics and religion. This is NONSENSE! Islam itself doesn’t believe in the separation of politics and religion! In fact, no good Muslim should. It is basic to Islam that there be no separation between the spiritual and the temporal. Islam is one indivisible, coherent, organic whole.
These politically correct people working for organisations such as the BBC do their best to confuse people and to obfuscate the truth. But they lie! No good Muslim can believe, is allowed to believe, in the separation of mosque and state.
Christianity allows for a separation of the spiritual and the temporal, the separation of Church and state. Islam adheres to no such concept.
What an Islamist really is, is a person who adheres STRICTLY to the tenets of his faith. He is a fundamentalist Muslim – a Muslim who wishes to re-create an Islamic state that resembles the ideal that the Prophet Muhammad admonished his followers to do. They stray in no way from the tenets of their faith.
The myth of a moderate devout Muslim is just that: a myth! Yes, there are moderate Muslims. But moderate Muslims are Muslims that have strayed from, or are straying from, their faith. Never forget this: Prophet Muhammad is considered the ‘the perfect man’ (al-Insān al-Kāmil [الإنسان الكامل]). This is why many Muslim men try to emulate the Prophet’s behaviour, mannerisms, way of dressing, and facial hair, and so on and so forth. But this is not just for so-called ‘Islamists’. It is also for all Muslim men who revere their religion.
It is high time that Westerners learn the true nature of Islam, and the way of living its adherents are expected to follow. – © Mark Alexander
The initial offensive to defeat Assad's regime was led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - which was set up in 2012 under a different name, al-Nusra Front, and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda the following year.
HTS publicly broke ranks with al-Qaeda in 2016 but is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, Turkey and other countries.
The US has named the group's leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, as a specially designated global terrorist and offered a $10m reward for information that leads to his capture.
Jawlani told CNN on Friday that "the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime" and that he planned to create a government based on institutions and a "council chosen by the people".
Frank Gardner’s distinction between Islam and Islamism is shockingly inaccurate. He says the difference between Islam and Islamism is that Islamists do not believe in the separation of politics and religion. This is NONSENSE! Islam itself doesn’t believe in the separation of politics and religion! In fact, no good Muslim should. It is basic to Islam that there be no separation between the spiritual and the temporal. Islam is one indivisible, coherent, organic whole.
These politically correct people working for organisations such as the BBC do their best to confuse people and to obfuscate the truth. But they lie! No good Muslim can believe, is allowed to believe, in the separation of mosque and state.
Christianity allows for a separation of the spiritual and the temporal, the separation of Church and state. Islam adheres to no such concept.
What an Islamist really is, is a person who adheres STRICTLY to the tenets of his faith. He is a fundamentalist Muslim – a Muslim who wishes to re-create an Islamic state that resembles the ideal that the Prophet Muhammad admonished his followers to do. They stray in no way from the tenets of their faith.
The myth of a moderate devout Muslim is just that: a myth! Yes, there are moderate Muslims. But moderate Muslims are Muslims that have strayed from, or are straying from, their faith. Never forget this: Prophet Muhammad is considered the ‘the perfect man’ (al-Insān al-Kāmil [الإنسان الكامل]). This is why many Muslim men try to emulate the Prophet’s behaviour, mannerisms, way of dressing, and facial hair, and so on and so forth. But this is not just for so-called ‘Islamists’. It is also for all Muslim men who revere their religion.
It is high time that Westerners learn the true nature of Islam, and the way of living its adherents are expected to follow. – © Mark Alexander
Assad Has Resigned and Left Syria, Russia Says
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate location was not initially clear after rebels took control of Syria’s capital. Russia’s foreign ministry did not provide details on where he had gone, saying only that he had resigned and left the country.
President Bashar al-Assad has resigned and left Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday, a stunning fall for the longtime dictator after rebels opposed to his rule stormed across the country and seized control of the capital in less than two weeks.
The foreign ministry’s statement did not offer details on Mr. al-Assad’s exact whereabouts, saying only that he had held talks with “several parties of the armed conflict.”
There was no immediate comment from the Syrian presidency about Mr. al-Assad.
Mr. al-Assad’s departure was an earthshaking moment in the history of Syria, which has been ruled by his family with an iron fist since the early 1970s. It marked a dramatic breakthrough for rebel factions in Syria that have been trying to unseat Mr. al-Assad for more than a decade, much of which was marked by a devastating civil war.
For many in Syria, Mr. Assad’s fall was a moment filled with hope as they no longer feared the regime that has used oppressive tactics to quash their freedoms. But it was also rife with uncertainty over who will rule Syria nextand raised fears of a power vacuum in a country that has been riven with competing factions vying for control of different areas of territory.
“Our hearts are dancing with joy,” Walaa Salameh, 35, a resident of the Damascus area, said in a phone interview. “We can’t predict the future and anything is possible, but the most important thing is we got rid of this oppressive regime.” » | Raja Abdulrahim, Hwaida Saad and Farnaz Fassihi | Sunday, December 8, 2024
THE TELEGRAPH:
Assad has fled country says Russia as plane disappears from radar: Syrian president is said to have fled the country as Damascus fell. US officials believe he was heading for refuge in Moscow »
Assad the tyrant has fallen – some fear what comes next will be worse: The 13-year rebellion against Bashar al-Assad’s regime may be over, but Syria’s civil war may not be »
BBC:
Where is Bashar al-Assad?: Bashar al-Assad has "stepped down" as president and "left Syria", his ally Russia says, hours after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus. »
'No-one slept in Syria last night' - how news of Assad's toppling spread: Residents in Damascus have told of an anxious wait for news on what was happening in Syria's capital city overnight. »
ZEIT ONLINE:
"Das Ende der Assad-Herrschaft ist eine gute Nachricht": International begrüßen zahlreiche Politikerinnen und Politiker den Sturz des syrischen Diktators Assad. Viele von ihnen mahnen jedoch auch – mit Blick auf die Zukunft. »
LE MONDE :
La chute de Bachar Al-Assad en Syrie : les groupes rebelles promettent une « nouvelle ère » et organisent la transition du pouvoir : Le président syrien a fui, dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, après l’entrée dans la capitale de la coalition menée par les islamistes du Hayat Tahrir Al-Cham (HTC). « Les institutions publiques resteront sous la supervision de l’ancien premier ministre jusqu’à leur remise officielle », a assuré le chef du HTC. »
President Bashar al-Assad has resigned and left Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday, a stunning fall for the longtime dictator after rebels opposed to his rule stormed across the country and seized control of the capital in less than two weeks.
The foreign ministry’s statement did not offer details on Mr. al-Assad’s exact whereabouts, saying only that he had held talks with “several parties of the armed conflict.”
There was no immediate comment from the Syrian presidency about Mr. al-Assad.
Mr. al-Assad’s departure was an earthshaking moment in the history of Syria, which has been ruled by his family with an iron fist since the early 1970s. It marked a dramatic breakthrough for rebel factions in Syria that have been trying to unseat Mr. al-Assad for more than a decade, much of which was marked by a devastating civil war.
For many in Syria, Mr. Assad’s fall was a moment filled with hope as they no longer feared the regime that has used oppressive tactics to quash their freedoms. But it was also rife with uncertainty over who will rule Syria nextand raised fears of a power vacuum in a country that has been riven with competing factions vying for control of different areas of territory.
“Our hearts are dancing with joy,” Walaa Salameh, 35, a resident of the Damascus area, said in a phone interview. “We can’t predict the future and anything is possible, but the most important thing is we got rid of this oppressive regime.” » | Raja Abdulrahim, Hwaida Saad and Farnaz Fassihi | Sunday, December 8, 2024
THE TELEGRAPH:
Assad has fled country says Russia as plane disappears from radar: Syrian president is said to have fled the country as Damascus fell. US officials believe he was heading for refuge in Moscow »
Assad the tyrant has fallen – some fear what comes next will be worse: The 13-year rebellion against Bashar al-Assad’s regime may be over, but Syria’s civil war may not be »
BBC:
Where is Bashar al-Assad?: Bashar al-Assad has "stepped down" as president and "left Syria", his ally Russia says, hours after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus. »
'No-one slept in Syria last night' - how news of Assad's toppling spread: Residents in Damascus have told of an anxious wait for news on what was happening in Syria's capital city overnight. »
ZEIT ONLINE:
"Das Ende der Assad-Herrschaft ist eine gute Nachricht": International begrüßen zahlreiche Politikerinnen und Politiker den Sturz des syrischen Diktators Assad. Viele von ihnen mahnen jedoch auch – mit Blick auf die Zukunft. »
LE MONDE :
La chute de Bachar Al-Assad en Syrie : les groupes rebelles promettent une « nouvelle ère » et organisent la transition du pouvoir : Le président syrien a fui, dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, après l’entrée dans la capitale de la coalition menée par les islamistes du Hayat Tahrir Al-Cham (HTC). « Les institutions publiques resteront sous la supervision de l’ancien premier ministre jusqu’à leur remise officielle », a assuré le chef du HTC. »
Saturday, December 07, 2024
Putin's Major Strategic Loss as Assad Teeters on Collapse
Syrian Rebels Near Homs as Government Forces Appear Unable to Stop Them | DW News
What's Next for Syria's President Bashar Al Assad? | Inside Story
Dec 7, 2024 | In just over a week, opposition forces in Syria have seized major cities including Aleppo, and large swathes of territory. They've faced little or no resistance from the Syrian military, apart from air strikes involving Russia. And with Damascus in the opposition's sights, what's President Bashar Al Assad's strategy?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Charles Lister - Director of the Syria and Counterterrorism Programs at the Middle East Institute
Marie Forestier - senior advisor at the European Institute of Peace
Sawsan Abou Zainedin - Chief Executive officer of the Madaniya, an independent Syrian-led civil society initiative.
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Charles Lister - Director of the Syria and Counterterrorism Programs at the Middle East Institute
Marie Forestier - senior advisor at the European Institute of Peace
Sawsan Abou Zainedin - Chief Executive officer of the Madaniya, an independent Syrian-led civil society initiative.
Assad Left 'Alone' and 'Isolated' as Syrian Rebels Close In on Damascus
Dec 7, 2024 | "I would say we’re in the final weeks of the regime."
Rebels are now "on the outer suburbs" of Damascus and there is a "whole new front" being driven in the North making it "harder and harder" for the regime to survive, says a journalist with the Economist in Beirut Gareth Browne.
Rebels are now "on the outer suburbs" of Damascus and there is a "whole new front" being driven in the North making it "harder and harder" for the regime to survive, says a journalist with the Economist in Beirut Gareth Browne.
Syrian Rebels Close In on Damascus as Presidency Denies Assad Has Left Capital | BBC News
Dec 7, 2024 | Syrian rebels are closing in on Damascus from the north and south, and have entered the key city of Homs, according to reports.
The Syrian presidency has denied reports that President Bashar al-Assad has left Damascus.
The leader of the Islamist militant group HTS said their goal is the overthrow of Assad's regime.
Protesters have brought down the statue of the Syrian president's father in the suburb of Jermana, about 10km from Damascus, a witness told the Reuters news agency.
The Syrian presidency has denied reports that President Bashar al-Assad has left Damascus.
The leader of the Islamist militant group HTS said their goal is the overthrow of Assad's regime.
Protesters have brought down the statue of the Syrian president's father in the suburb of Jermana, about 10km from Damascus, a witness told the Reuters news agency.
Syria Rebels Encircle Damascus in Major Threat to Assad Regime
THE TELEGRAPH: Syria’s rebels have begun to encircle Damascus in a major threat to the survival of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
“Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus,” said Hassan Abdel Ghani, a commander with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive.
Earlier on Sunday, a war monitor said that the rebels had advanced to within 20 kilometres of the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had ceded more key ground, losing control of all of southern Daraa province and evacuating posts in Quneitra, near the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. » | Daniel Hardaker | Saturday, December 7, 2024
“Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus,” said Hassan Abdel Ghani, a commander with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive.
Earlier on Sunday, a war monitor said that the rebels had advanced to within 20 kilometres of the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had ceded more key ground, losing control of all of southern Daraa province and evacuating posts in Quneitra, near the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. » | Daniel Hardaker | Saturday, December 7, 2024
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