How It Happened: 2 Seismic Weeks That Toppled Syria's Government | rssama.com

LONDON (AP) — Half a period of norm by nan Assad family successful Syria crumbled pinch astonishing speed aft insurgents burst retired of a rebel-held enclave and converged connected nan capital, Damascus, taking metropolis aft metropolis successful a matter of days.

Opposition forces swept crossed nan state and entered Damascus pinch small aliases nary guidance arsenic nan Syrian service melted away. President Bashar Assad, Syria’s ruler for 24 years — succeeding his father, Hafez Assad — fled nan country. Russian authorities media reported that he was successful Moscow.

It’s a stunning improvement successful Syria’s devastating 13-year conflict. Anti-government protests successful 2011 met pinch a sadistic crackdown, escalating into a civilian warfare that has killed much than half a cardinal group and displaced half of Syria’s prewar organization of 23 million. Assad, backed by Iran and Russia, gradually regained power of much than two-thirds of Syria, leaving nan rebels pinch 1 stronghold successful nan northwest of nan country.

And location nan conflict remained, mostly frozen, for years until precocious November. Here’s a look astatine a seismic 2 weeks for nan Middle East.

Wednesday, Nov. 27: Rebel violative begins

Armed guidance groups launch a large-scale attack connected areas controlled by authorities forces successful northwestern Syria and declare to person wrested power of complete 15 villages from authorities forces successful northwestern Aleppo province. The authorities and its friends respond pinch airstrikes and shelling successful an effort to halt nan insurgent advances.

The violative is led by nan jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, aliases HTS. Formerly nan Syrian branch of al-Qaida and known arsenic nan Nusra Front, HTS later distanced itself from al-Qaida, seeking to marketplace itself arsenic a much mean group. It is classed arsenic a violent group by nan United Nations and nan U.S.

The onslaught connected Aleppo follows weeks of simmering low-level violence, including authorities attacks connected opposition-held areas. Turkey, a main backer of Syrian guidance groups, says nan rebels began a constricted violative to extremity nan attacks, but it expanded arsenic authorities forces began to retreat.

Thursday, Nov. 28: The violative expands

The violative expands to scope nan countryside of Idlib state amid reports authorities troops are retreating.

Friday, Nov. 29: Rebels participate Aleppo

The insurgents enter Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, for nan first clip since they were pushed retired successful 2016 aft a grueling subject campaign by Syrian authorities forces backed by Russia and Iran. They meet pinch small resistance.

Saturday, Nov. 30: Aleppo falls nether insurgent control

The rebels opportunity they power Aleppo, raising a emblem complete nan city’s citadel and occupying nan world airport. The Syrian equipped forces declare to person redeployed troops and instrumentality successful mentation for a counterattack.

By evening, nan insurgents person seized astatine slightest 4 towns successful nan central Hama province and declare to person entered nan provincial capital.

Sunday, Dec. 1: The authorities fights back

The Syrian subject launches a counterattack pinch troops and airstrikes connected Idlib and Aleppo. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visits Damascus, telling Assad that Tehran will support nan counteroffensive.

But Assad receives little, if any, thief from his allies. Russia is engaged pinch its war successful Ukraine, and Iran has seen its proxies crossed nan region degraded by regular airstrikes. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, which astatine 1 constituent sent thousands of fighters to statement up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict pinch Israel.

Monday, Dec. 2-Wednesday, Dec. 4: Fighting rages adjacent Hama

The insurgents push south, advancing to wrong 10 kilometers (6 miles) of Hama, nan country’s fourth-largest metropolis and a cardinal crossroads successful cardinal Syria, astir 200 kilometers (125 miles) northbound of Damascus. State media reports fierce fighting successful nan province, and some authorities media and a U.K.-based perceiver group opportunity authorities forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, person recaptured immoderate territory.

Thursday, Dec. 5: Insurgents seizure Hama

After respective days of fighting nan rebels sweep into Hama. Dozens of jubilant fighters are seen firing into nan aerial successful ceremony successful Assi Square, nan tract of monolithic anti-government protests successful nan early days of nan uprising successful 2011. The Syrian service says it has redeployed to positions extracurricular nan metropolis to protect civilians.

Friday, Dec. 6: Rebels beforehand connected Homs

Rapidly advancing now, nan rebels prehend 2 towns connected the outskirts of Homs, Syria’s third-largest city. About 40 kilometers (25 miles) southbound of Hama, Homs is nan gateway to Damascus and nan location of 1 of Syria’s 2 state-owned lipid refineries. Capturing it would trim nan nexus betwixt Damascus, Assad’s spot of power, and nan coastal region wherever he enjoys wide support.

The authorities denies reports that its subject has withdrawn from nan city.

Top diplomats from countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Russia, clasp talks connected Syria successful nan Qatari capital, Doha.

Saturday, Dec. 7: Homs falls and Assad’s grip weakens

Opposition forces return Homs aft authorities forces wantonness it. The insurgents opportunity they person encircled Damascus and are carrying retired nan “final stage” of their offensive.

The U.N. typical envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, seeks urgent talks successful Geneva to guarantee an “orderly governmental transition,” arsenic Syrian authorities media denies Assad has fled nan country.

Sunday, Dec. 8: Assad is toppled

Syrian authorities tv airs a video connection by a group of men saying that President Bashar Assad has been overthrown and each prisoners person been group free. HTS commandant Abu Mohammed al-Golani visits nan Umayyad Mosque successful Damascus and calls Assad’s autumn a triumph for “the Islamic nation.”

Russian officials and Iranian authorities TV opportunity Assad has near Syria. Russian authorities news agencies later study he and his family are successful Moscow and were granted asylum.

Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali says Syria’s authorities is fresh to “extend its hand” to nan guidance and manus complete its functions to a transitional government.

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SyriaBashar Assad