DAMASCUS, THE NUSANTARA POST – The Baath Party, which ruled Syria for 61 years, collapsed on Sunday after control of the capital, Damascus, fell into the hands of armed opposition groups.
The Arab Socialist Baath Party has been in power in Syria since 1963 through a coup.
In 1970, Hafiz al-Assad – the father of the newly overthrown Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad – seized power in an internal party coup and became president in 1971.
After his father’s death in 2000, Bashar al-Assad took over the Baath regime.
The Assad regime and the Baath Party’s rule came to an end when anti-regime groups entered the capital, Damascus, marking the peak of a series of rapid and dramatic developments since the end of last month.
When the popular movement demanding freedom erupted in Syria in 2011, the regime harshly cracked down on activists fighting for change.
The regime’s intervention, which resulted in thousands of deaths, turned the process into a civil war.
While armed opposition groups were engaged in a long struggle, the regime refused to resolve the conflict through diplomacy or peaceful means, despite international pressure, including from regional actors.
After escalating clashes on November 27, the regime lost control of many areas in the country, starting with Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama.
Ultimately, when the people took to the streets in the capital Damascus, regime forces began withdrawing from public institutions and streets, while anti-regime groups increased their grip on the downtown area.
With the handover of the capital by Assad’s forces, the 61-year Baath regime and 53 years of Assad family rule came to an end.
Statement from the Fallen Regime’s Prime Minister
In a video message on social media, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, the prime minister of Bashar al-Assad’s government, stated that they were ready to work with a new government chosen by the people of Syria and were prepared to provide all kinds of support.
Urging the public not to destroy public property, Jalali said, “We extend our hand to the opposition, which says they will not harm anyone and extend their hand to us.”
“Syria belongs to all Syrians. This country can be a normal country, and it can establish good relations with neighboring countries and the world,” he added.
“This choice depends on the government that will be elected by the people of Syria. We are ready to cooperate with the newly elected government. We are ready to give them all kinds of support and easily transfer state documents to them.”
Statement from the Leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), warned the public not to approach public institutions in Damascus, saying on social media: “These institutions will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until the government is officially handed over.”
“It is strictly forbidden to approach public places,” al-Jolani said, adding, “Shooting into the air is also prohibited.”
Developments in Syria
Clashes broke out between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups on November 27 in the rural areas west of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.
On November 30, the anti-regime groups took control of most of central Aleppo from regime forces, and on the same day, they seized the entire Idlib province.
After intense clashes last Thursday, the group captured the city center of Hama from regime forces.
Anti-regime groups also took several settlements in the strategically important Homs province, the gateway to the capital Damascus, and began advancing toward it.
On Friday, armed opposition groups launched an operation in the Daraa province on the Syrian-Jordanian border and recaptured the city center from regime forces after clashes.
On Saturday, the entire Suwayda province in southern Syria was also under opposition control. On the same day, local opposition groups in Quneitra also took control of the provincial capital.
In Homs province, which leads to the capital, anti-regime forces captured the provincial center on Saturday.
Those advancing against Assad regime forces entered the southern outskirts of Damascus on Saturday afternoon. Regime forces also withdrew from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior, and the international airport in Damascus.
As anti-regime armed groups began to dominate the capital, Assad’s regime quickly lost all control of Damascus by Sunday morning.
The Syrian National Army, formed from a coalition of opposition groups, launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against PKK/YPG terrorist organizations in the rural areas of Aleppo on December 1. The district center of Tel Rifaat was liberated from terrorism (Andolu/TNP).
