Monday, December 9

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has fled the country after incursions by rebels, bringing an end to the country's fierce 13-year war.

Just over one week ago, Syrian rebels launched an intense offensive near the major city of Aleppo, taking over the entire city. Read more on the initial attack here. None of the rebel groups had made any headway into the Syrian Arab Republic's territory since 2020 until the incursion, leaving the war in an inert state, but the takeover of aleppo has sparked a new fire within the rebel groups.

Assad had managed to keep control of most of Syria with the help of Hezbollah, Iranian, and Russian forces, but the recent attack changed things. It took place at a strategically perfect time, as all of Assad's supporters are struggling. Russia has been heavily weakened by their war in Ukraine, making them unable to supply weapons or forces to Syria, and Hezbollah and Iran are battling Israel in the Middle East.

After the rebels took control of Aleppo, the forces of both sides clashed for several weeks, but the rebels easily overpowered Assad's forces towards the end. The rebel forces continued forward, though, advancing down the M5 motorway which tracks down the country's western side. They took over the city of Hama along the way and then the major city of Homs, the latter of which has a population of around 1.5 million people. Then, yesterday, the rebels launched another incursion, this time into the country's capital of Damascus, where they quickly took control of the city with little opposition from Assad's forces.

Assad quickly fled the country, with his officials stating that he had already spoken with the leaders of other rebel groups. He confirmed that he was leaving his position of president to the rebels, and departed for Russia, where Russian and Iranian authorities established that he has been granted political asylum. He also requested his government to peacefully transfer the power over to the rebels, which came as a surprise to global leaders.

There are several rebel groups that were fighting against Assad's government, but the ones leading the incursions are just one: Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham. It has around 6,000 to 15,000 active members and is considered a terrorist organization by the United Nations. They were also previously affiliated with terrorist group al-Qaeda, who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks on New York City's Twin Towers in 2001. Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham has maintained control of the Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria, for years, and is led by former al-Qaeda member Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.

The leader has maintained an authoritarian-type government in Idlib Province but seems to be attempting to organize Syria, rather than promote Jihadist values like his former organization. His forces have collected taxes and even issued identification cards in the province, giving Syrians hope of a stronger, more organized government in the future. However, it is still unknown as to whether he will choose a democratic or authoritarian government for the country, and whether he can even unite the people of Syria for his cause. On top of that, he will need to execute his plan quickly in order to prevent a power vacuum, which could lead to chaos in the coming months.

Upcoming Events:

• International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime (Monday, December 9)

• International Anti-Corruption Day (Monday, December 9)

• Human Rights Day (Tuesday, December 10)

• International Mountain Day (Wednesday, December 11)

• International Day of Neutrality (Thursday, December 12)

• International Universal Health Coverage Day (Thursday, December 12)

• IWF World Weightlifting Championships End (Saturday, December 14)

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The word "cookie" comes from the Dutch "koekjes," which came from the Dutch "koek," meaning "cake." Cookie was introduced to English in the very early 18th century, but it is thought that this term caught on more in the United States due to the strong Dutch heritage in early America.

Quote of the Day: Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do. (John Carmack)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Galvanize (verb)- To galvanize people is to cause them to be so excited or concerned about something that they are driven to action.

In a Sentence: The council’s proposal to close the library has galvanized the town’s residents.