Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been brutally oppressing the armed rebellion for 14 years, has left the country and arrived in Moscow, Russia. Rebels have taken control of the capital Damascus, but the future of the civil war-torn country remains uncertain.

About five lakh people have lost their lives in the civil war since the Arab Spring of 2011. At least 30,000 of them are children. In Syria, which has a population of around 2.5 million, half of the population is displaced in one way or another. However, the president fled after the armed rebels became dominant with the support of the common people. 

Since the suppression of the 2011 uprising, President Assad has been facing constant challenges from the rebels. On his side, Russia and the US on the side of the rebels have been bombing Syrian settlements. But recently, Assad has been in trouble after the rebels gained influence. The president left the country after the Russian Foreign Ministry held talks with Syrian rebels. However, Russia has formally rejected arbitration. 

The insurgent group led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sam (HTS) has been dramatically aggressive of late. Until October 24, only Idlib in the border area with Turkey was under the control of HTS. The rebel group captured the second largest city of Aleppo last Tuesday. Likewise, they entered the capital Damascus within hours of "completely liberating" the third largest city, Homs, on Thursday. Finally, on Saturday night, the flag was hoisted in the capital Damascus. 

After taking control of Damascus, the rebel forces stopped broadcasting the state television. As the rebels advanced, the government forces retreated. In the video posted on various social networks, it is seen that thousands of prisoners have been released from Sanaya Jail. 

In that prison, the Assad administration used to torture and execute its opponents. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is trying to expand his influence around the world, the fall of Assad has come as a big shock. This is no longer an excuse for Russia, which is active in West Asia to suppress the Syrian rebellion.

Assad, his main ally, has taken refuge in Moscow. Russia mobilized great power to support Assad for more than a decade. 

Since the recent focus on the war with Ukraine, it is believed that Russia did not or could not help Assad. The news of Putin's defeat in the long-running "proxy war" between the US and Russia on Syrian soil has made Ukraine happy. But if Russia pulls out its troops and military equipment in Syria, it is likely to deploy them in Ukraine. 

Syria's opposition leader Hadi al-Bahra responded that "Assad's regime has fallen and a dark era in the history of Syria has ended," according to Al-Arabiya. Bahra is leading a coalition of Syrian rebels and opposition forces.

According to the BBC, he tried to assure that the situation in Damascus is safe. "As long as you stay in your own home and don't take up arms against any civilian, you are safe," he wrote on the social network X. Human dignity will be protected and respected.' 

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali has said that he is ready to stay in office and prevent the state of governmentlessness in the country. On the other hand, the rebel HTS leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jwalni, has ordered his fighters not to enter government institutions in the capital Damascus. He said that these bodies will remain under the supervision of the Prime Minister until they are officially handed over. 

Noting that the HTS had achieved a historic victory, Al-Jwalni ordered that no harm should be done to anyone who surrenders. But the Iranian embassy in Damascus has been attacked. Rebels also attacked the Italian embassy in Damascus. According to the BBC, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tazzani says that armed groups attacked the embassy and took away three cars, but did nothing to the ambassador and other staff. The Iraqi embassy there has been evacuated. 

Residents in Damascus cheered as the rebels took over. The capital was relatively quiet on Sunday despite gunfire and explosions being heard on Saturday, the BBC reported. During the night, the rebels have declared a curfew in Damascus. 

US President Joe Biden and other officials have stated that they are monitoring the unprecedented developments in Syria. In a statement issued by the White House, the Office of the President stated that the Biden administration is in constant contact with its regional partners. The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, previously said on social media that the United States has nothing to do with the war in Syria. Let it happen. This is not our fight,' he wrote on the social network X. 

Western countries including Britain, France, and Germany have welcomed the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. "Finally, the barbarian regime has fallen," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote in X. "I pay tribute to the Syrian people, their courage and patience." I wish for peace, freedom and unity in Syria at this time of uncertainty.'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded that 'Assad's fall is good news'. He said that a solution should be found for political stability in Syria. Bashar al-Assad brutally oppressed his people. He forced many people to flee the country and many of them have arrived in Germany," he said. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also welcomed the fall of Assad's brutal regime. He called for peace and stability in Syria. The recent developments in Syria are unprecedented. We are talking to our partners in the region and are closely monitoring the situation,” he said. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Britain would welcome the news of the fall of the Assad regime. 

Assad, who became the head of state of Syria on July 17, 2000, has been brutally oppressing the opposition since 2011 and bombing the structures of his own country to defeat the rebels. Assad's father Hafiz al-Assad also ruled Syria for 30 years. On June 10, 2000, on the day of Hafiz's death, the constitution was amended to make the minimum age for becoming president 34 instead of 40, paving the way for Assad to become president. Soon after, he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and leader of the ruling Baath Party. 

A referendum was held on July 10, with parliament electing Assad as president the same year. It was claimed that 99.7 percent of the votes were in his favor in the referendum with 95 percent turnout. In this way, father and son ruled Syria for a total of 54 years. 

Assad was initially known as a reformist leader. But he became a dictator to suppress the opposition. On September 27, 2000, 99 Syrian intellectuals issued a statement with various demands, including the end of military rule and the crisis period since 1963, amnesty and release of political prisoners, permission to return to exiles, and freedom of speech and assembly.&nbsp ;

Famous Syrian documentary filmmaker Omar Amiralaya drafted the demand together with filmmaker Usama Muhammad and author and politician Mouafaq Nairabia. With the demand called 'Statement of 99', the 'Damascus Spring' started in Syria. Based on the 'Statement of 99', various political and social debates took place in Syria. Most of these activities were suppressed by the Assad-led government. But more intellectuals joined the campaign and in 2001 the 'Statement of 1000' was issued. It strongly criticized the one-party rule of the Baath party and demanded an independent judiciary, an end to ongoing discrimination against women, and multi-party democracy.

In February 2005, the 'Cedar Revolution', which began after the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, ended the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In April of that year, the Syrian army withdrew from Lebanon, ending 29 years of military and political dominance. Lebanon and the West say that Syria is responsible for Hariri's murder. 

Opposition parties jointly issued the 'Damascus Declaration' in October 2005, strongly criticizing Assad's 'authoritarian style and sectarian rule'. But the pro-democracy movement intensified after the government suppressed the opposition activists and intellectuals. Since December 2007, the Assad-led government has carried out extensive crackdowns on pro-democracy supporters. 

During the 'Arab Spring' that spread in 2011, the dictatorial regime of Assad brutally attacked the protesters. The United States, the European Union and the Arab League have suggested that Assad resign. In 2011, Syria was expelled from the Arab League in response to its crackdown on the uprising. But with the help of Russia, Assad managed to maintain power by suppressing the protesters. Assad was able to stay in power mainly because of the large military support of Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite militant group supported by Russia and Iran. 

Protests started by civil society were later dominated by radical Islamist groups. In March 2011, the Assad administration launched a bloody crackdown on people it declared 'terrorists', sparking a civil war in Syria. Several regional and international powers, as well as various jihadist groups, joined the decade-long war. Assad used to claim that they were provoked by the Western powers who wanted to break up the country. 

Assad has also been linked to the use of chemical weapons and various other atrocities in rebel-held areas. In 2012, the government carried out airstrikes against the rebels. The Assad administration has repeatedly denied the allegations of using chemical weapons against the rebels.

France also issued an international arrest warrant against Assad in November 2023 saying that he was involved in crimes against humanity by committing chemical attacks in 2013. Similarly, the International Criminal Court ordered the Syrian government to end torture and cruel and degrading treatment.