The fall of the Syrian regime and regional implications
W hile the world’s eyes and attention were focused on the new Trump administration , the consequences of its policies after January 21 in Ukraine , and the raging fires of the Middle East , a new fire flared up and died down in the blink of an eye in Syria . A pending issue took suddenly an unexpected turn. On December 8, 2024, the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime marked a historic and decisive turning point in the Syrian civil war, after nearly 14 years of conflict. This sudden defeat, despite the regime’s growing difficulties, was accelerated by the rapid and coordinated advance of rebel groups, in particular Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which launched a determined offensive from Idlib province, in the northwest of the country. The offensive, which began on November 27, 2024, benefited from the strategic and military support of Turkey , a regional power directly involved in the Syrian dynamic for several years. A. A POST-ASSAD SYRIA The offensive enabled the rebels...