A surprise offensive by rebel forces against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has sparked new fighting in the long-running civil war. Rebels captured most of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, prompting Assad to vow to defend the country’s stability and territorial integrity. The war began in 2011 following Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees.
The recent fighting erupted despite a ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia in 2020, with rebels seeking to take more government-controlled territory in response to attacks from Assad’s forces. The conflict has been influenced by external factors such as Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The rebels, led by HTS, aim to topple Assad, expel Iran from the region, and pursue extremist ideologies. Meanwhile, Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, with Iran using Syria to pressure Israel. Turkey has supported anti-Assad groups to contain Kurdish secessionist movements.
As Assad’s regime controls about 70% of Syrian territory, the surge in fighting raises concerns about increased violence in the region. The future of Syria remains uncertain, with the intervention of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah playing a crucial role in determining Assad’s fate. Efforts to find a long-term solution to the civil war are complicated by conflicting interests among external powers like the U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump.
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