Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria for Moscow after Islamist rebels seized the capital of Damascus, per a Sunday report. The departure of Assad marks the end of over a half-century of rule by the Alawite Assad family and over 60 years of the secular, Baathist Syrian Arab Republic.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the former Emir of Al Qaeda in Syria and the leader of the dominant group among the rebels, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, spoke at Damascus’s Umayyad Mosque, declaring the rebel victory “a victory for the whole Islamic nation.”
The outgoing President Joe Biden delivered remarks on Sunday on the developing situation.
“The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria, to build a better future for the proud country. It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty,” he said. “As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria, to help them seize the opportunity to manage the risk.”
Biden also bragged about the American role in the overthrow of Assad. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East,” he said. “This combination of support for our partners, sanctions, and diplomacy, and targeted military force when necessary, we now see new opportunities opening up for the people of Syria and for the entire region.”
Biden also addressed future U.S. policy in the theater: “Looking ahead, the United States will do the following. First, we’ll support Syria’s neighbors, including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel, should any threat arrive from Israel during this period of transition.” Biden also promised to maintain stability in eastern Syria and engage with Syrian groups to transition to a new government.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has also commented on the situation, reiterating in a post on X President-elect Trump’s earlier calls to stay out of Syria. The Ohio senator also noted that the previous attempts to overthrow the Assad government led to the mass slaughter of Syrian Christians by rebels and caused Europe’s refugee crisis.
TASS has reported that Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow, where they have been given asylum by the Russian government.
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