The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria after an 11-day offensive by rebel groups has triggered a geopolitical reshuffle in the Middle East.
Syria’s Collapse
Assad’s rule, characterized by authoritarianism, ended after sustained pressure from rebel forces led by Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, a former al-Qaeda operative.
External supporters like Iran and Russia shifted focus elsewhere, contributing to Assad’s defeat.
Background : The Syrian civil war has reignited with a fresh offensive by Islamist militants led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), capturing key territories, including Aleppo, and threatening the stability of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Aleppo: Recaptured by the Assad regime in 2016, now lost to HTS militants after their swift offensive.
Idlib: The stronghold of HTS and the base for launching the current offensive.
Damascus: The seat of Assad’s regime, now under pressure as rebels make gains in the north.
Homs: Likely the next target for HTS as they continue advancing southwards.
Organizations Involved in Syria:
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS): A militant group led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, originally linked to al-Qaeda, now spearheading the offensive.
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF): Kurdish-led forces controlling northeastern Syria, maintaining a detente with the President Assad regime.
Hezbollah: A Shia militia historically supporting Assad but currently weakened by conflicts with Israel.
The area known as ‘Golan Heights’ sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to (UPSC-2015)
- Central Asia
- Middle East
- South-East Asia
- Central Africa
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