Seizing army bases, toppling regime statues, releasing prisoners and capturing main cities – that is only a fraction of what Syrian insurgent forces have achieved in simply over every week.
Whereas Assad, who has now left the nation, had earlier vowed to “crush” the offensive, visible proof exhibits how shortly his regime has fallen.
That is how the offensive unfolded.
Till simply over every week in the past, Assad’s Russian-backed forces managed a lot of Syria.
Now the opposition teams – led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) – a former al Qaeda affiliate beforehand referred to as the Nusra Entrance – have captured three of Syria’s main cities together with its capital and ousted the regime.
The autumn of Aleppo
Rebels started the shock offensive from the northern province of Idlib earlier than attacking areas to the north and northwest of Aleppo, Syria’s second largest metropolis which has been beneath Assad’s management since 2016.
Within the house of simply three days, rebels pushed out authorities forces. Footage from 29 November exhibits strains of scholars evacuating from the College of Aleppo as opposition forces closed in.
Later that day, simply two kilometres south of the college, HTS members filmed themselves at a statue of Assad’s deceased brother, taking down the regime flag.
The following day, Syria’s army introduced a withdrawal from the town – Aleppo fell to the rebels.
Assad forces tried defence
After defeat in Aleppo, Assad’s forces tried to defend different cities and cities. They headed to Hama, a metropolis 120km south of Aleppo – the place geolocated movies posted on 30 November present a line of tanks as Assad’s forces awaited the rebels.
These are among the many few movies which present efforts by regime forces throughout the offensive.
On 2 December, Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held metropolis of Idlib within the north, which for years had been the final anti-regime stronghold in Syria.
Movies present the aftermath of a lethal assault close to Idlib College Hospital; the strikes that day killed at the least 25 individuals.
Rebels transfer to Hama
Subsequent, the rebels moved in the direction of Hama metropolis, 120km south of Aleppo. We verified footage taken on 3 December exhibiting opposition forces in Al Amqiyah and Halfaya, a village and a city within the Hama governorate.
On 4 December, the rebels posted movies of a army base they’d seized within the Hama province signalling that they weren’t solely in a position to take massive cities, but additionally to grab key army websites. Taken from inside a automobile, the footage exhibits the empty base – with regime forces nowhere to be seen.
The following day, on 5 December, rebels captured Hama metropolis – the provincial capital – because the army withdrew its troops marking the seizure of a second main metropolis and a major setback for the regime.
Footage posted by rebels on 5 December exhibits prisoners being free of the infamous Hama jail, as relations and buddies hugged one another as they have been reunited.
Rebels seize Homs
With Aleppo and Hama now beneath rebel-control, opposition forces made their solution to Homs a metropolis in western Syria – beneath 50km south of Hama and round 150km south of Aleppo.
Homs sits on a significant crossroad, linking Damascus to the north and Syria’s Mediterranean coast provinces of Latakia and Tartus, the place the bulk again Mr Assad and residential to a Russian naval base and air base.
On the night of 5 December, movies emerged of a whole bunch of individuals making an attempt to flee Homs because the rebels drew nearer. Footage exhibits lengthy queues of vehicles caught in site visitors as individuals tried to depart the town and head west.
The following day, the rebels are seen in plenty of villages inside a 10km radius of Homs. We geolocated footage of anti-Assad convoys advancing via the cities of Talbiseh and Ter Maela and greeted by civilians – exhibiting simply how shut they have been to the foremost metropolis.
Whereas the world’s consideration was largely targeted on insurgent advances heading south from Aleppo and Hama, the regime’s maintain over territory within the east and south of the nation was additionally deteriorating.
By 6 December, we geolocated footage that confirmed the rebels had taken Deir el-Zor, a significant metropolis on the japanese fringes of the regime’s territory. The identical day, a number of areas have been captured in Daraa Governate, placing new strain on Damascus from the south.
Then, the following day, on 7 December, the rebels declared they’d captured Homs.
Regime’s final stand
Lastly, the opposition forces moved round 130km south to Damascus – house to the presidential palace.
From right here little resistance towards the rebels was seen. Movies from 8 December present Syrians strolling contained in the Muhajreen Presidential Palace whereas different movies present posters of Assad being ripped from a hospital.
Celebrations have continued on the streets of the town as different movies present individuals leaving Damascus’s ministry of finance with luggage.
Russia, considered one of Assad’s key allies, mentioned the Syrian president has left workplace and Syria after giving orders for there to be a peaceable switch of energy.
Whereas many didn’t anticipate the size and pace of the insurgent offensive in Syria and lots of questions stay over the political way forward for the nation, this offensive marks the tip of a 54-year Assad rule in Syria.
