Syrian rebels
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Amid the scenes of jubilation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an ‘inclusive and non-sectarian’ interim government. Syrians have observed the first Friday prayers since the dramatic downfall of President Bashar al-Assad, meeting in locations across the country to celebrate the end of half a century of…
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The Assad regime in Syria came toppling down in lightning speed after rebel forces led a days-long offensive across the country and captured the capital, Damascus, on Sunday, with President Bashar Assad ultimately fleeing to Russia. How did it happen so quickly? Some Syrian analysts, as well as the Biden administration, have pointed to Assad’s chief…
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All eyes are on the conduct of the next government in Syria – whose path may depend on Hayat Tahrir al Sham, the rebel group that led the lightning assault to overthrow the Assad regime. HTS is designated a terrorist organisation in the US and grew out of a branch of al Qaeda. Its leader, Abu…
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Pope Francis has called on the Syrian rebels who toppled the Assad regime to stabilise the country and govern in a way that will “promote the stability and unity of the country”. “I pray that the Syrian people may live in peace and security in their beloved land and the different religions may walk together…
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Syria’s caretaker prime minister has vowed to guarantee the rights of all communities in Syria. In an interview with Italian news outlet Corriere Della Sera, Mohamed al Bashir distanced the rebels from links with Al Qaeda, saying they “distorted the true meaning of Islam” and the West should not “associate Muslims with terrorism”. “Precisely because we are…
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Rebels who overthrew the Syrian government say they have wrested control of an eastern city after intense battles with a Kurdish-led, US-backed force. Hayat al Tahrir said they had completely captured Deir el Zour, near the border with Iraq, which had been held by the Syrian Democratic Forces only since Friday after displacing Assad forces.…
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Russia’s deputy foreign minister has confirmed Bashar al-Assad is in the country. Sergei Ryabkov told NBC News that Russia transported Assad there “in the most secure way possible”. “He is secured, and it shows that Russia acts as required in such an extraordinary situation,” he said. “I have no idea what is going on with him right…
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KEY TAKEAWAYS * The decisive moment came in the early hours of Sunday. Following a brief but intense battle at dawn, fighters gained complete control of Homs, a crucial city and strategic crossroads about 160 km north of Damascus, cutting off connections between Damascus and the coastal strongholds of al-Assad’s Alawite community. * Even though…
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Syrian rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday (Dec 8), forcing him to flee and ending his family’s decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East. The rebels also dealt a major blow to the influence of Russia…
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Russian lawmakers have called for a thorough investigation on the origins of the man-portable missile launcher that was likely used by militants in Syria to shoot down a Russian fighter jet before killing the pilot in a firefight. “Certainly, we will investigate, including a great many things: from the type of the MANPADS [man-portable air…
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