Ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad finds refuge in Russia after rebels seize power

President Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia on humanitarian grounds after Syrian rebel fighters overthrew him and ended his family's 50-year rule, reversing a 13-year civil war on Dec 8 as they entered Damascus unopposed.

The fall of Assad's regime destroyed a stronghold from which Iran and Russia had wielded influence across the Arab world, marking a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern history.

His abrupt ouster by a Turkish-backed uprising with jihadist Sunni Islamic origins limits Iran's ability to arm its allies and may cost Russia its naval base in the Mediterranean.

It also creates the possibility for millions of refugees living in camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan for over a decade to eventually return home.

With hundreds of thousands already dead, towns reduced to rubble, and the economy shattered, it marked the sudden and unexpected end of a conflict that had been frozen for years for Syrians.

“How many people were displaced across the world? How many lived in tents? How many drowned in the seas?” the top rebel commander, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said while addressing a huge crowd at the medieval Umayyad Mosque in central Damascus.

“A new history, my brothers, is being written in the entire region after this great victory,” he said.

He added that creating a new Syria to serve as "a beacon for the Islamic nation" would require significant effort.

Assad's brutal regime, known for holding hundreds of thousands in prison, collapsed instantly. Rebels broke open the prison doors, and freed prisoners who were overwhelmed with joy and reunited with their families in tears.

“We toppled the regime!” a voice shouted, and a prisoner yelled and skipped with delight.

"There is no room for turning back," said Jolani, whose group was previously Syria's branch of al-Qaeda but has recently modified its image to reassure members of minority sects and foreign countries. "The future is ours," he added.

The coalition of Syrian rebels said it was working to finalize the handover of authority to a transitional executive body.

In a statement, it added that the great Syrian revolution had progressed from the fight to topple the Assad government to the fight to create a united Syria worthy of the sacrifices made by its citizens.

Syria's prime minister, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, called for free elections and claimed to have spoken with Jolani during the transitional phase.

The rapid pace of events startled Arab capitals and sparked concerns about a new wave of instability in a region already in turmoil, exacerbated by the conflict's expansion after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

In several locations across the world, jubilant supporters of the uprising stormed Syrian embassies, lowering the red, white, and black flags of Assad's regime and replacing them with the green, white, and black flags flown by his opponents during the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel's attacks on Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, which had once been the backbone of Assad's security forces but has been battered by Israel in the past two months, were directly responsible for Assad's downfall.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the Syrian people and declared, "The barbaric state has fallen."

After the celebrations, Syria's new leaders will face the daunting challenge of bringing stability to a nation divided into conflicting factions, requiring billions of dollars in aid and investment for reconstruction.

Assad and his Russian allies bombed cities to ruins throughout Syria's protracted civil war, which began in 2011 as an uprising against his government.

From a famous mosque in Damascus, Syria's rebel leader announced a "historic" victory, signaling a significant shift in the war.

In less than two weeks, the Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, successfully took over the capital.

Referring to Syria's position as a narco-state, he said, "Syria is being purified," claiming that Assad's Syria had "become the world's leading source of Captagon," an amphetamine-type substance, and criminality throughout the region.

Over the course of his journey to Damascus, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has undergone a significant transformation from a young al-Qaeda warrior two decades ago to a rebel commander who promotes sectarian tolerance.

Speaking to his supporters against the striking black-and-white stone backdrop of the mosque, Jolani said, "This victory, my brothers, is a victory for the entire Islamic nation."

His statement was directed at Syrians now freed from Assad’s reign, as well as those who helped him and his group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, overthrow Assad.

"By the grace of God Almighty, my brothers, this victory is the result of the sacrifices made by the martyrs, widows, and orphans," he added.

“It was a rallying cry to those who endured hardship in the struggle against Assad’s regime,” Jolani continued.

He also mentioned Iran, indicating that Tehran's influence over Syria had ended. His remarks, emphasizing Iran's loss of its stronghold in Syria and its severance from Hezbollah in Lebanon, seemed intended to minimize Iran's influence.

Jolani is still a designated terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head, so his message was likely heard not only in Tehran but also in Tel Aviv and Washington.

He demonstrated his understanding of the geopolitical environment and the major actors who could either support or oppose his authority by addressing key foreign powers, notably the US.

While acknowledging that he had "heard Jolani saying the right things," US President Joe Biden emphasized that the rebel leader's future would ultimately be determined by his actions, not his words.

With his pledges to restore order and rid Syria of its reputation as a narco-state, Jolani's rhetoric also sought to reassure regional nations.

He described Assad’s government as a criminal hub and claimed it had "become the world's leading source of Captagon," an amphetamine.