The Assad regime falls: Global responses

Macron's response 

French President Emmanuel Macron has already reacted to the events in Syria and wished the Syrian people "peace, freedom and unity."

"A barbaric state has been overthrown. Finally. I pay tribute to the Syrian people, their courage and patience. In this time of uncertainty, I wish them peace, freedom and unity," Macron said.

L’État de barbarie est tombé. Enfin.

Je rends hommage au peuple syrien, à son courage, à sa patience. Dans ce moment d’incertitude, je forme pour lui des vœux de paix, de liberté et d’unité.

La France restera engagée pour la sécurité de tous au Moyen-Orient.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 8, 2024

He also added that "France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East."

Reaction of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also reacted to the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and stressed the need to restore security in Syria. He wrote about this on the social network X.

"Assad has fallen. This has always been the case with all dictators who rely on Putin. He always betrays those who rely on him. Now the main goal is to restore security in Syria and effectively protect people from violence," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.

He also stressed that "every effort should be made to stabilize the region, to ensure an inclusive political dialogue in Syria for the sake of functioning state institutions."

"We express our readiness to pave the way for the restoration of relations in the future and reaffirm our support for the Syrian people," Sybiha concluded.

Scholz calls the change of power in Syria "good news"

The German Chancellor's statement was published by Spiegel.

According to Scholz, the Syrian people have suffered terribly.  The deposed dictator Assad "brutally oppressed his own people."

"He has countless human lives on his conscience and has forced many people to flee Syria, many of whom have also come to Germany," Scholz said.

Now, according to him, it is important that law and order be ‘quickly restored in Syria’. He also added that all religious communities and minorities should be protected now and in the future.

The German Chancellor believes that a political solution to the conflict in Syria remains possible in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The resolution, which was adopted in 2015, provides for the drafting of a constitution and the holding of elections under the supervision of the United Nations.

What’s happening in Syria

A large-scale offensive by Syrian opposition forces is underway. On November 27, the opposition launched an attack and, within two days, captured 56 settlements in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, reaching Aleppo’s outskirts.

On November 30, Russian airstrikes hit Aleppo for the first time since 2016, targeting areas controlled by Syrian rebels. That same day, Russia pledged more military support to the Assad regime.

Reuters reported that rebels seized the city of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, taking control of the entire region.

Amid growing losses and panic, Russia dismissed its Syria troop commander, Sergei Kisel. Rebel forces are advancing in southern Syria, with urban battles erupting in Hama, Homs, and Suwayda.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has blamed Russia and Iran for worsening the security situation in Syria.

On December 4, U.S. forces launched a self-defense strike on weapons systems in eastern Syria. On December 5, Syrian rebels entered the key city of Hama, forcing Assad’s forces to withdraw. A day later, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry advised citizens against traveling to Syria.

By December 6, rebels led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) were approaching Homs, Syria’s third-largest city. Meanwhile, a U.S.-backed alliance led by Syrian Kurds captured Deir ez-Zor, a key city near the Iraq border.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered to assist Assad in shaping Syria’s future, but Assad rejected the offer.

On December 7, opposition forces declared control of Daraa in the southwest and announced the fall of Assad’s government after entering Damascus. Reports claim Assad fled the country.

There’s a high likelihood that President Bashar Assad died in a plane crash on December 8 while fleeing. Russia, however, claims he left voluntarily.