Syria’s multi-front civil war had dragged on for over a decade, with fighting showing little signs of slowing down. However, in a stunning reversal, Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed within a couple of weeks. On November 27, Syrian rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise assault, taking advantage of the distraction of Assad’s allies engaged in conflicts elsewhere in the region.
The speed and size of the collapse were remarkable, with HTS-affiliated rebels capturing key cities and cutting off pro-regime forces. Before the assault, pro-Assad forces controlled over 60% of Syrian land. Rebel forces made gains in northern Syria, taking control of Aleppo on December 3, before advancing south to Hama.
By December 7, Assad’s regime was beginning to crumble, with his forces retreating from rebel-controlled areas across the country. By December 8, the rebels claimed control of Damascus, the capital, and Assad left his post, fleeing to Russia for asylum. The collapse has prompted a military response from Israel, which has launched airstrikes and deployed ground troops into the demilitarized buffer zone.
A Syrian rebel-linked government leader, Mohammad Al-Bashir, has been appointed caretaker prime minister for three months, overseeing Syria’s transition to a new government.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/world/middleeast/map-syria-civil-war-assad-dg/index.html