Tue Dec 10 08:49:36 UTC 2024: ## Assad Regime Collapses After 12-Day Offensive: Damascus Falls to Opposition Forces

**Damascus, Syria –** In a stunning turn of events, the 50-year reign of the al-Assad family in Syria ended on December 8th, 2024, after a swift 12-day offensive by opposition forces culminated in the capture of Damascus. The offensive, launched on November 27th from the Idlib governorate, saw a rapid southward advance that overwhelmed the Syrian army.

The final two days witnessed a dramatic collapse of the Assad regime. On Saturday, December 7th, opposition forces seized control of the strategically important southern regions of Daraa – the birthplace of the 2011 uprising – and Sweida, with local citizens actively participating in the liberation. Simultaneously, forces advanced from the northwest, closing in on Homs.

The Syrian army showed signs of significant internal fracturing. Reports emerged of soldiers abandoning their posts and equipment, and widespread desertion, indicating a severe loss of morale. This triggered popular uprisings in the Damascus countryside, with citizens actively dismantling symbols of the Assad regime. Despite regime attempts to halt the advance, including bombing the Rastan Bridge, opposition forces captured Homs early Sunday morning, effectively cutting Assad off from his coastal strongholds.

With opposition forces closing in from all directions, Damascus fell into chaos. The regime attempted to consolidate its remaining forces at the international airport and central security centers, but to no avail. Opposition fighters swiftly captured the Mezzeh Air Base, a major strategic victory, followed by the seizure of Umayyad Square, the heart of Damascus, with citizens celebrating in the streets. By 6:00 AM on December 8th, opposition forces declared Damascus liberated and Bashar al-Assad was reported to have fled the country.

The fall of Damascus was attributed to the Syrian army’s “lack of morale and leadership,” according to Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies associate professor David Des Roches. The liberation also freed thousands of prisoners from the notorious Sednaya prison, a site of alleged widespread human rights abuses. The swift and decisive victory marked the end of an era of brutal authoritarian rule in Syria.

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