Syria’s Assad Family Loses Grip After 50 Years: Here’s What Happened

The rule of the Assad family over Syria, which spanned over half a century, came to a sudden end as rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, forcing him to flee to Russia on Sunday, December 8.

“Syrian President Assad of Syria and members of his family have arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds,” an unnamed Kremlin source said according to Interfax news agency.

The collapse of Assad’s regime, whose family began ruling Syria in 1971, when Hafez al-Assad became president under the Ba’ath Party, followed a surprise offensive launched on November 27 by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebel group with jihadist roots, and allied factions.

While the assault began in northwestern Syria, quickly capturing Aleppo—the country’s second-largest city—, it advanced southward to Damascus. In just twelve days, the Syrian military crumbled, leaving the rebels unopposed in the capital.

“We are writing a new history,” proclaimed Abu Mohammed al-Golani, HTS’s top commander, addressing a jubilant crowd at Damascus’s historic Umayyad Mosque. “The future is ours, and with hard work, Syria will become a beacon for the Islamic nation.”

The Roots of the Fall

Bashar al-Assad ascended to power in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez, who had ruled for nearly three decades. In 2011, Assad brutally suppressed pro-democracy protests, sparking a civil war that has killed over half a million people and displaced 12 million others. Despite regaining control of most of Syria with the support of allies like Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, Assad’s government was unable to quell resistance in the rebel-dominated north.

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HTS and other rebel factions were primarily concentrated in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, bordering Turkey. Supported by Turkish-backed groups, they capitalized on Syria’s military weakness and international isolation to mount their rapid advance.

The Middle East in Turmoil

Assad’s fall adds to a wave of instability sweeping the Middle East. The region is already grappling with conflicts like the Israel-Gaza war and escalating violence in Lebanon. Iran, a key supporter of Assad, now faces diminished influence, as Syria was a crucial conduit for supplying weapons to its allies, including Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Russia risks losing its naval foothold in the Mediterranean, further complicating its strategic interests.