A bullet-riddled portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which adorned the Hama municipality building, after it was defaced following the capture of the city by rebel fighters, Dec. 6, 2024. (Credit: Omar Haj Kadour/AFP)
Is the fall of the Assad regime imminent? It hasn't seemed this much at risk of collapse for years.Power in Damascus has wavered more than once since the outbreak of the bloodily suppressed popular uprising in 2011, but Russia and Iran's expansive intervestion has gradually enabled the regime to regain control of around 70 percent of Syrian territory and Idlib, the last major rebel pocket, seemed unthreatening. And yet, since Wednesday, Nov. 27, the prospect of the lightning offensive led from this north-western town by the jihadist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and opposition factions triumphing over Bashar al-Assad is no longer implausible.Paving the way for the conquest of DamascusOf course, all scenarios are on the table. Developments have been unfolding at breakneck speed for barely ten days and events are punctuated by numerous...
Is the fall of the Assad regime imminent? It hasn't seemed this much at risk of collapse for years.Power in Damascus has wavered more than once since the outbreak of the bloodily suppressed popular uprising in 2011, but Russia and Iran's expansive intervestion has gradually enabled the regime to regain control of around 70 percent of Syrian territory and Idlib, the last major rebel pocket, seemed unthreatening. And yet, since Wednesday, Nov. 27, the prospect of the lightning offensive led from this north-western town by the jihadist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and opposition factions triumphing over Bashar al-Assad is no longer implausible.Paving the way for the conquest of DamascusOf course, all scenarios are on the table. Developments have been unfolding at breakneck speed for barely ten days and events are punctuated by...
