In Syria’s ongoing conflict, rebels have captured the major city of Deir Ezzor, with regime forces surrendering just minutes after the rebels began entering.
This comes on the heels of the rapid fall of Homs and the rebels’ advance into Damascus, prompting reports that President Bashar al-Assad has fled by plane to an undisclosed location.
The collapse of Assad’s regime has been swift, but it’s rooted in years of war that have decimated his army. According to Dara Conduit, a political scientist at the University of Melbourne, Assad’s main allies – Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah – have been preoccupied with conflicts of their own, leaving Assad in a weak position.
As the situation continues, chaos reigns at the Lebanese-Syrian border. Former security personnel have abandoned their positions, leaving the Masnaa border crossing closed.
Rebels now control the Syrian side, with videos showing opposition fighters entering Damascus unopposed.
Despite the celebrations, concerns remain about the future. Abu Mohammed Al-Jawlani, the leader of the main rebel group HTS, has promised a transition towards a democratic Syria. However, the group’s violent past and designation as a terrorist organization by the UN and several governments raise doubts.
The situation in Syria is precarious, with the country standing at a crossroads.
