What's happened
On December 8, 2024, Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, capturing key cities including Aleppo and Hama. This unexpected turn poses significant risks to Russia's military foothold in Syria, jeopardizing its strategic bases and influence in the region.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Business Insider UK, the recent rebel offensive represents the most significant escalation in the Syrian civil war in years, with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham capturing key cities and threatening Assad's regime. The Moscow Times highlights the urgency of the situation, noting that the Russian embassy has advised nationals to leave Syria amid escalating violence. Analysts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies emphasize that losing Syria would severely undermine Putin's regional plans, as the bases are vital for Russian military operations. Zineb Riboua from the Hudson Institute warns that without a strong military presence in Syria, Putin's influence in Africa and the Middle East could collapse.
How we got here
The Syrian civil war, ongoing since 2011, has seen various factions vying for power. Russia has supported Assad's regime since 2015, maintaining military bases crucial for its regional influence. Recent rebel advances have escalated tensions and threatened this support.
More on these topics
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Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
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Bashar Hafez al-Assad is a Syrian politician who has been the President of Syria since 17 July 2000. In addition, he is commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and Regional Secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party's branch in Syria.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 4.6 million in 2010, Aleppo was the largest Syrian city before the Syrian Civil War; however, it is now
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.