Syria Today: A Short Dossier

[Sukla Sen]

I. What Has Happened?

AA. 'Opposition fighters reportedly drive Syrian leader from the country. Who are they and what now?'

<https://apnews.com/article/syria-civil-war-rebels-turkey-iran-russia-0a5fddb5ee4065e93be374cbcdb01ff7>

BB. A Very Different Account

'Finally, the effort to engineer regime change in Syria has been achieved'
<https://johnmenadue.com/syria-collapse-israel-wins-russia-setback-iran-isolated-closer-to-bomb/>

II. It was so unexpected now!
AA. 'How the World Got Syria Wrong'

<https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/08/syria-assad-regime-collapse-geneva-astana-un-wrong/?>
BB. 'How it happened: Two seismic weeks that toppled Syria’s government'

<https://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-ousted-rebel-offensive-timeline-8c54a8b97803d4b10cde53b97227128e>

III. Who's the Deposed Ruler?
'Who is Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian leader whose family ruled with an iron fist for more than 50 years?'

<https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/08/middleeast/bashar-al-assad-syria-profile-intl-hnk/index.html>.

IV. A Glimpse of His Rule 

'Inside the hunt for hidden cells in Sednaya prison, Syria’s ‘human slaughterhouse’'

<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/09/inside-sednaya-torture-prison-syria-assad>

V. The Response of Syrians
AA. 'Joyous celebrations across Syria after al-Assad's fall'

<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2024/12/8/joyous-celebrations-across-syria-after-al-assads-fall>.

BB. 'Tears of Joy and Sadness as ‘Disappeared’ Emerge From Assad’s Prisons'

<https://www.rsn.org/001/tears-of-joy-and-sadness-as-disappeared-emerge-from-assads-prisons.html>.

VI. Where is Assaad now? 

'Assad in Moscow – media'

<https://www.rt.com/russia/609002-assad-in-moscow-with-family/amp/>.

VII. Foreign Powers' Response
AA. US Response: 

'US announces air strikes on ISIL targets in Syria after al-Assad’s fall'

<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/9/us-announces-air-strikes-on-isil-targets-in-syria-sfter-al-assadss-fall>.

BB. Israeli Response

i. 'Israel occupies buffer zone in Syria’s Golan Heights, Q&A'

<https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-occupies-buffer-zone-in-syria-s-golan-heights-qa/3420365>.

ii. 'Israel wipes out 80 per cent of Syria’s military, including its entire navy'

<https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/israel-wipes-out-80-per-cent-of-syrias-military-including-its-entire-navy/news-story/4427465b0b05f3ed573d4ef86487b49d>

IV. What this development means for Geopolitics?

AA. 'After Syria, world must realise that Russia can be defeated – Polish PM'

<https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/12/8/7488259/>
BB. 'How the loss of its Mediterranean naval base in Syria would weaken Russia as a global power'

<https://theconversation.com/how-the-loss-of-its-mediterranean-naval-base-in-syria-would-weaken-russia-as-a-global-power-245585>.

CC. 'Analysis: Al-Assad’s fall is Iran and Russia’s loss, but are there winners?'
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/10/analysis-al-assads-downfall-has-upended-the-regional-balance-of-power>

VII. A Comprehensive Assessment

'Press Briefing: Assessing the Collapse of the Assad Regime'
<https://www.csis.org/analysis/press-briefing-assessing-collapse-assad-regime>.

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Peace Is Doable