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Assad Regime Falls After 11-Day Offensive; HTS-Led Rebels Liberate Damascus

Dec 12, 2024, 12:50 PM

The Assad regime in Syria has collapsed after an 11-day rapid offensive led by rebel forces, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), resulting in the liberation of the capital, Damascus. After over half a century of rule by the Assad family, Syrians are celebrating the end of a regime known for its authoritarian brutality, erasing remnants of Assad's rule from public spaces. The administration is resuming services, with institutions like the Central Bank and the Post Office reopening in Damascus. The fall of President Bashar al-Assad has significant geopolitical implications for the Middle East, with neighboring countries assessing the impact on regional stability, and Turkey potentially benefiting from the regime change. In Europe, particularly Germany and Austria, where nearly a million Syrians reside, the collapse has sparked debates over the future of Syrian refugees, including discussions on possible repatriation and the suspension of asylum applications. Syrians abroad express mixed emotions about returning to their war-ravaged homeland, contemplating the challenges ahead in rebuilding a free and democratic Syria after 13 years of civil war.