Graphics track changes, uncertainty in Syria after rebels banish Bashar al-Assad
The Syrian rebels who forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country for asylum in Russia say they are forming a new government to replace the tyrannical rule of the Assad family, who ruled the country for more than 50 years.
The U.S. has conducted airstrikes in Syria to prevent the terrorist group ISIS from taking control, according to the U.S. Central Command. Israel has attacked suspected chemical weapons sites in the country.
Assad’s overthrow is one of the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations and will limit the ability of Iran and Russia to influence the Arab world, Reuters reported.
Rebels took control of Damascus, the capital of Syria, on Sunday. It’s unknown how Syria’s new government will rule, or who will lead it.
The main rebel commander Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, met overnight with Assad's Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali and Vice President Faisal Mekdad to discuss arrangements for a transitional government, Reuters reported.
What is happening in Syria now?
The U.S. has conducted airstrikes against more than 75 ISIS targets in Syria following Assad's departure, the Military Times reported. B-52 bombers, F-15 fighters and A-10 Warthogs were used in the attacks.
"There should be no doubt - we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria," said General Michael Erik Kurilla in a statement released by CENTCOM. "All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way."
Israel says it is using airstrikes against suspected Syrian chemical weapons stockpiles, since Dec. 8, the BBC reported. Israeli troops crossed into Syrian territory over the weekend, the New York Times said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel will "destroy heavy strategic weapons throughout Syria, including surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and coastal missiles," Paste BN reported.
Who ousted Bashar Assad?
The victorious rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, are considered a terrorist organization globally. It was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department in May 2018, Paste BN reported.
HTS is a Sunni Islamist militant and political group that formed in the beginning of the Syrian civil war 13 years ago.
President Joe Biden said Assad's ouster is a "moment of historic opportunity," CBS reported. The U.S. will work with the rebel factions, including those designated as terrorist groups, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on CBS Mornings on Monday.
CONTRIBUTING Josh Meyer, Margie Cullen, Kim Hjelmgaard, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Paste BN
SOURCE Paste BN Network reporting and research; Institutes for the Study of War; Reuters; the National Counterterrorism Center; U.S. Central Command