Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is in mortal danger
Whether he survives may depend not on his allies but on his one-time foes
NOT EVEN the Syrian rebels themselves thought they would be so successful. When they began a surprise offensive in northern Syria on November 27th, they found Bashar al-Assad’s regime in disarray. His troops fled. Within days the insurgents had captured Aleppo, Syria’s second city. The advance slowed around Hama, 120km to the south—but did not stop. On December 5th the rebels reportedly took the city (see map). For the first time in a decade, Mr Assad’s rule looks vulnerable.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Closing in on Bashar al-Assad”
Middle East & Africa December 7th 2024
From the December 7th 2024 edition
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