On December 8th local time, Syrian opposition armed groups issued a statement on Syria’s state-run television channel, Al Sham Light, stating that they had entered Damascus and overthrew President Assad’s regime that had been in power for 24 years.

On that day, the Syrian National Army announced that the regime of Syrian President Assad had ended.
Syrian Prime Minister Jalali made a video speech on social media, stating that he is ready to work with any leader chosen by the people and will peacefully hand over the government to the opposition.

From the northwest offensive launched by opposition armed groups on November 27th to the fall of Damascus on December 8th, in just 12 days, the Assad regime collapsed with a loud bang… (See also our article “Adding more chaos to chaos! New wars in the Middle East…”)
The rapid change in the situation is astonishing.

On November 27th, the Syrian opposition armed group “Sham Liberation Organization” suddenly launched a surprise attack on government forces and quickly occupied the northern Syrian town of Aleppo.
On December 3rd, opposition armed groups claimed to have approached Hama, the fourth largest city in Syria and the capital of central Hama province, and engaged in combat with Syrian government reinforcements. Two days later, the opposition armed forces announced that they had completely taken control of Hama.
On December 7th, opposition armed groups announced that they have occupied Homs, the third largest city in Syria. As the last important line of defense and transportation hub guarding Damascus, the fall of Homs undoubtedly dealt a fatal blow to the Syrian government forces.
On December 8th, opposition armed groups occupied Damascus and entered the Syrian presidential palace. The Syrian government army has given up resistance, stating that the Assad regime has ended.
Despite the initial inadequate defense of the Syrian government army, it was surprising to most people that they were defeated like a mountain in just over ten days.

Why did the Assad regime fall so quickly?
Domestic issues erode the foundation of governance.
Sect conflicts continue. In Syria, the Alawite faction belonging to the Assad family holds the main power in the country, while the majority Sunni faction’s political, economic, and other rights are not fully protected.
This situation of “minority rule over the majority” has sparked dissatisfaction among Sunnis, leading to ongoing sectarian conflicts.
The economic foundation is weak. The Syrian economy has a single structure and is overly dependent on resources such as oil. By the early 21st century, domestic oil resources were gradually depleted, coupled with the destruction of long-term wars and sanctions imposed by the United States and the West, Syria’s economy suffered heavy losses.
The interruption of oil exports, currency depreciation, high unemployment rate, sharp decline in government fiscal revenue, and inability to support the government army have led to military downsizing and decreased combat effectiveness.
Corruption and bribery are rampant. After the Assad government came to power, it implemented family rule and prioritized the interests of the Alawite faction in its policies. Additionally, high-ranking officials within the government were corrupt and engaged in corruption, leading to boiling public grievances and a decrease in trust in the government, providing a fertile ground for the rise of the opposition.
Inadequate control over the military. The Assad government’s large-scale disarmament due to financial issues has indirectly drained the blood of terrorist organizations and opposition groups. In addition, Assad’s anti-corruption campaign at the top of the military has sparked dissatisfaction, with some senior military officials colluding with external forces, leading to Assad gradually losing control over the military.
Russia and Iran lack support.
For some time, Russia’s assistance to Syria has been greatly reduced due to its deep involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Faced with domestic economic difficulties and ongoing threats from Israel, Iran’s support for the Assad regime has also been greatly reduced.
Under Israel’s continuous attacks, Hezbollah in Lebanon has basically lost its combat capability.

The three parties’ assistance to the Syrian government army has significantly weakened, giving the opposition armed forces an opportunity to take advantage.

The opposition armed forces have someone backing them up.
The United States, Israel, and other countries have long supported opposition forces in Syria, weakening the power of the Assad regime in order to undermine the influence of Russia and Iran in the Middle East. (See also the article “Which seven fronts does Netanyahu refer to in his words?”)
Many analysts believe that Türkiye is the main supporter of the “Sharm Liberation Organization” that overthrew Assad’s regime.
For a long time, Türkiye regarded the Kurdish armed forces in northern Syria as a terrorist organization, and believed that the organization had close relations with armed elements in Türkiye. For 40 years, Turkey had been rebelling against the Turkish government.
By supporting the armed opposition to seize power, we can clear the obstacles for Türkiye to attack Kurds and intervene in Syria’s internal affairs in the future.
In addition, some experts believe that Ukraine may also be involved, providing assistance and training to Syrian opposition armed groups, thereby creating a situation unfavorable to Russia.
The situation in the Middle East is escalating from chaos to chaos.
Syria undergoes a major reshuffle.
After the fall of the Assad regime, Syria will face a reshuffle of power.

Various forces within Syria will strengthen their competition for power and territory, and the situation in Syria is likely to fall into long-term turmoil.

Meanwhile, external forces will continue to intervene and further exacerbate the chaos in Syria.

Overall, it will be difficult for Syria to be peaceful in the short term.
The Middle East is even more chaotic.
Since the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the chaos in the Middle East has continued to spread.
The escalation of conflicts between Palestine and Israel, Lebanon and Israel, and the prolonged crisis in the Red Sea.
On December 8th, Israel launched airstrikes on facilities near Damascus, claiming it was to “prevent these facilities from falling under the control of Syrian opposition armed groups”.
Syria is in chaos, which means Israel can pick up the leak and calmly clean up the aftermath of Gaza while expanding outward with great fanfare.
The fall of the Assad regime means that Iran’s Shia “resistance front”, which has been operating for decades, has suffered a heavy blow.
It is evident that the United States and Israel can leverage the chaos in Syria to gain greater influence in the Middle East region.
According to foreign media reports, Syrian President Assad has left Damascus with an unknown destination. Foreign media also reported that a plane taking off from Damascus is suspected to have crashed and the personnel on board cannot be immediately identified.

Whether Assad lives or dies, the era of his rule over Syria has come to an end

The Chinese embassy remains steadfast.

On December 8th, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in response to reporters’ questions about the situation in Syria that China is closely monitoring the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria can restore stability as soon as possible.

At present, the Chinese government has actively assisted Chinese citizens who are willing to leave Syria safely and orderly, maintained contact with Chinese citizens who remain in Syria, and provided safety guidance.

China urges relevant parties in Syria to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria.

The Chinese Embassy in Syria is still steadfast and will continue to provide full assistance to Chinese citizens in need.