Syrian rebels take Damascus - al-Assad has fled (1 Viewer)

[superchuck500]

The rebels are a coalition of Islamists and moderates united to remove al-Assad. They are not said to be affiliated with ISIS or Iran.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[bird]

I do not believe for a minute that the Islamists will not seek to establish a radical religionist government. The nature of too many Arab states in the Middleeast seems to be authoritarian/sectarian or authoritarian/religionist.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[superchuck500]

I do not believe for a minute that the Islamists will not seek to establish a radical religionist government. The nature of too many Arab states in the Middleeast seems to be authoritarian/sectarian or authoritarian/religionist.

They will - but significant factions of this rebel coalition are Kurds and Turkish backed secular forces. It’s probably going to break down into factional fighting after the regime remnants are eliminated.

And Iran and Russia are of course going to be involved.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[Scoutster]

It’ll be interesting to see how this all hashes out. I’m sure some new person that’s in charge will not be a whole lot better. It’s kind of the par for the course in that area of the world.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[GrandAdmiral]

And apparently the rebels' leader has a $10 million bounty on his head by the US.

 

[bird]

And apparently the rebels' leader has a $10 million bounty on his head by the US.

Because of course he does. Wtf is it that we have to step on ourselves before the dust settles?

 

[J-DONK]

And apparently the rebels' leader has a $10 million bounty on his head by the US.

Aren't they backed by Turkey?

This is a massive sign Russia is struggling. Syria is extremely important to them as a seaport, and they couldn't prop up the regime any longer.

 

[Incumbent]

Because of course he does. Wtf is it that we have to step on ourselves before the dust settles?

The bounty has been in place since 2011 because of his ties to al-Qaida.

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Syria's insurgency that toppled Assad?

Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader whose stunning insurgency toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation...

www.pbs.org

 

[superchuck500]

Aren't they backed by Turkey?

This is a massive sign Russia is struggling. Syria is extremely important to them as a seaport, and they couldn't prop up the regime any longer.

Some of the factions are backed by Turkey but I don’t think that his is - it’s a local Syrian Islamist group that has also disclaimed any ties to ISIS or Tehran

 

[superchuck500]

 

[superchuck500]

John Sipher (@johnsipher.bsky.social)

“What good is Russia as a partner if it cannot save its oldest client in the Middle East from a ragtag band of militias?” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/08/world/europe/russia-syria-assad-putin.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

bsky.app

 

[GrandAdmiral]

now Israel is trying to seize Syrian territory. Who's surprised...?

 

[superchuck500]

 

[bird]

He better stay away from windows.