Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on Sunday, bringing an end to nearly 14 years of brutal civil war and a decades-long dynasty. The 59-year-old Assad had been struggling to hold onto control as his country fragmented into a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers.
Assad’s rule was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings in government-run detention centers. The conflict has killed nearly half a million people and displaced over half of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million.
Initially, Assad presented himself as a young reformer after his father’s death in 2000. However, he quickly turned to brutal tactics to crush dissent, leading to the outbreak of civil war. His government regaining control of most of Syria’s territory was marked by brutal crackdowns on protesters and minority groups.
Assad relied heavily on old alliances, including his Alawite sect and Sunni merchant families, as well as key roles for his family members, such as his wife Asma and cousin Rami Makhlouf. Despite initial promises to reform, Assad’s regime instead relied on economic reforms to stay in power.
The Arab Spring wave that reached Syria was met with brutal force, with millions of Syrians fleeing the country. The conflict ultimately saw Assad facing challenges from multiple fronts, including regional rivalries and internal divisions within his own party.
Assad’s decision to flee comes after years of struggling to maintain control over a war-torn country. His departure marks the end of an era in Syrian politics and raises questions about the future of the country and its people.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/syria-bashar-assad-war-1468a97ff95bb782f5933856d99c9a8d