* The decisive moment came in the early hours of Sunday. Following a brief but intense battle at dawn, fighters gained complete control of Homs, a crucial city and strategic crossroads about 160 km north of Damascus, cutting off connections between Damascus and the coastal strongholds of al-Assad's Alawite community.
* Even though al-Assad called for a peaceful transfer of power in a statement through Russia and the HTS has also shown willingness to achieve a stable handover, analysts believe that a dramatic change in authority will add to uncertainties for Syria's future.
* Alongside the changes in the Syrian leadership, the influence of Türkiye, which backs the militant forces, and Russia, which supports the al-Assad government, will also undergo significant shifts across the Middle East, said Hany Al-Gamal, head of the International and Strategic Studies Unit at the Cairo-based Arab Center for Research, Studies and Training.
DAMASCUS/CAIRO, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly resigned and arrived in Russia for asylum as his government collapsed on Sunday following a sweeping offensive by militant groups.
The groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), waged a major offensive from northern Syria since Nov. 27, and have since swept southwards through government-held areas, capturing the capital Damascus within 12 days.
The fall of al-Assad's government brought a surprise end to the nearly 14-year Syrian civil war, adding to uncertainties for both the war-torn nation and the broader Middle East.
SWEEPING OFFENSIVE
Although the Syrian government and militant groups have been at deadly feud with each other since 2011, large-scale military conflicts largely grounded to a halt in 2020. The recent offensive, however, has taken the government by storm, showcasing a formidable momentum from the outset.
Within just days, the groups captured the central province of Hama, after overrunning key territories in the northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.
The decisive moment came in the early hours of Sunday. Following a brief but intense battle at dawn, fighters gained complete control of Homs, a crucial city and strategic crossroads about 160 km north of Damascus, cutting off connections between Damascus and the coastal strongholds of al-Assad's Alawite community.
In the wake of the advance, the fighters made their way into the capital. State television channels aired scenes of them moving through the streets of the city and inside the presidential palace.
Soon after the fall of Damascus, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jallali announced his readiness to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the Syrian people.
HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad Al-Julani, declared Al-Jallali would oversee public institutions until an official transfer of authority is completed.
"We extend our hands to every Syrian citizen committed to safeguarding the country's resources," Al-Jallali said in a televised address. "Syria belongs to all Syrians, and I urge everyone to think rationally about the nation's best interests."
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Even though al-Assad called for a peaceful transfer of power in a statement through Russia and the HTS has also shown willingness to achieve a stable handover, analysts believe that a dramatic change in authority will add to uncertainties for Syria's future.
On the one hand, there are numerous militant groups within Syria, each with their distinct political agenda, noted Ding Long, a Chinese expert on Middle East affairs at Shanghai International Studies University.
Disagreements and conflicts within militant groups could still lead to renewed turmoil in Syria, said Ding.
On the other, Syria has long been plagued by extremism and terrorism. Even the HTS is still classified as a terrorist group by the United Nations, the United States, and Türkiye, among others. Some countries have expressed concern that with the HTS in power, extremism and terrorism may rear their heads once again amid the turmoil in the country.
"We have to be watchful during this transition period," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said following the militants' victory. "We are in communication with the groups to make sure that terrorist organizations ... are not taking advantage of the situation."
Echoing his Turkish counterpart, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty underscored the importance of preventing the spread of terrorism in Syria.
Anti-terrorism in Syria is also a focus for Iran, a staunch supporter of al-Assad.
In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed the necessity to end military conflicts in the country as soon as possible, prevent terrorist actions, and initiate national talks with the participation of all segments of Syrian society to form an inclusive government representing all Syrian people.
For the broader international community, restoring peace and stability in Syria is the primary expectation. In a press release on the developments in Syria, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China is closely following the situation in the country, underscoring its hope that "stability will return as soon as possible."
REGIONAL REPERCUSSIONS
Given Syria's crucial role in the current geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, analysts suggest that the collapse of al-Assad's rule could have far-reaching consequences for the region.
Even before the Syrian government's collapse, neighboring countries, including Israel, Iraq, and Lebanon, had already begun to bolster their military presence along the border with Syria, bracing for the potential upheaval.
As the militant forces captured Damascus, the Israel Defense Forces announced that its troops had entered a buffer zone between Israel and Syria, and seized a Syrian army outpost at the summit of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.
The 1974 UN-monitored Disengagement Agreement, which established a demilitarized buffer zone between Israel and Syria, has "collapsed," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"What is happening is certainly to the benefit of the Israeli military, of the Israeli government," Al Jazeera said in an analysis.
Iran, a major regional stakeholder, took a different view. In an op-ed titled "Assad gone, Syria in twilight," Iran's Tehran Times said, "The absence of a stable central government could pit Syrians against each other, plunging the country into absolute chaos."
As an important part of the Iran-led "axis of resistance," the collapse of the Syrian government dealt a direct blow to regional anti-Israel forces, including Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, according to Ding, the Chinese expert on Middle East affairs.
Iranian television footage has shown that the militants stormed the Iranian embassy in Syria, causing damage to facilities and buildings.
Alongside the changes in the Syrian leadership, the influence of Türkiye, which backs the militant forces, and Russia, which supports the al-Assad government, will also undergo significant shifts across the Middle East, said Hany Al-Gamal, head of the International and Strategic Studies Unit at the Cairo-based Arab Center for Research, Studies and Training.
"No doubt, the ongoing changes will be greatly reflected in the region," Al-Gamal told Xinhua.
(Video reporter: Zhao Wencai, Tian Ye, Shuai Anning, Yao Bing, Dong Xiuzhu, Sha Dati and Ji Ze; Video editors: Jia Xiaotong, Zheng Qingbin, Zheng Xin and Zhu Cong)■
