U.S. State Department holds Russia responsible for crimes against civilians in Syria

This statement was made by U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

"You have seen Russia prop up a brutal regime that has murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrian civilians, that has gassed its own people," he said.

He highlighted how Russia targeted civilians in Syria and now shelters the dictator responsible for those crimes.

"What I would say is that certainly Russia has a lot to answer for when it comes to the Syrian people," Miller added.

Miller also noted that decisions regarding Russian military bases in Syria should be made by the Syrian people. He emphasized that over the past decade, those bases have only brought catastrophic consequences for Syria.

What is happening in Syria

A large-scale offensive by opposition forces against government troops is currently underway in Syria. On the morning of November 27, opposition forces launched an attack, capturing 56 settlements in Aleppo and Idlib provinces and advancing to the outskirts of Aleppo after two days of fighting.

On November 30, Russian warplanes bombed Aleppo for the first time since 2016, as Syrian rebels reached the city center. At the same time, Russia pledged additional military aid to the Assad regime.

The same day, Reuters reported that Syrian rebels had seized the city of Maraat al-Numan in Idlib province, gaining control of the entire region.

Facing heavy losses and rising panic within its ranks, Russia dismissed Sergei Kisel, the commander of its forces in Syria. The situation for Russian troops in the country continues to worsen, with rebel advances in the south and urban battles taking place in Hama, Homs, and Suwayda.

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

On December 4, US forces launched a self-defense strike against weapons systems in eastern Syria. By December 5, Syrian rebels had entered Hama, forcing regime forces to retreat. The next day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry warned citizens against traveling to Syria.

As of December 6, rebels led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) were nearing Homs, Syria’s third-largest city. Meanwhile, a US-backed alliance led by Syrian Kurds had captured Deir ez-Zor, a key city on the Iraqi border.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered to help Bashar al-Assad shape Syria’s future, but Assad rejected the offer.

On December 7, opposition forces announced the capture of Daraa in southwestern Syria. Later that day, they entered Damascus, declaring the fall of Assad’s regime. Reports claim Assad fled the country.

There is a high probability that Bashar al-Assad died in a December 8 plane crash while fleeing rebels closing in on Damascus. Russia claims he left the country voluntarily.

On December 8, Russia began withdrawing warships from its base in Tartus after Damascus fell to the rebels.

Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad al-Jalali later called for free elections, saying the people must decide the country’s leadership.

German outlet Bild reported that Assad had planned to hand over power to pro-Turkish forces and flee to Russia, with negotiations allegedly taking place in Doha.

Russian media reported that Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow, where they were granted asylum.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate claimed Russia staged disinformation about Assad’s plane crash to cover its operation to extract him.

Israeli ground forces crossed the demilitarized zone into Syria for the first time since 1973’s October War.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the fall of Assad’s regime a "historic moment" for Syria.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned that the Islamic State may exploit the collapse of Assad’s regime to regain strength.