Bashar al-Assad, son of the former president of Syria, Hazef al-Assad, assumed office in 2000 and took over the Ba’ath Party. Reported by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, since his time in office, Assad’s regime has been marked by torture, extrajudicial killings, criminal sexual assault, enforced disappearances, totalitarian surveillance and arbitrary arrests. In 2011, the Syrian regime escalated military enforcement to suppress anti-government demonstrations. Between 2011 and 2021, the Assad regime reportedly killed over 300,000 civilians, including more than 27,000 children, while humanitarian conditions continued to steadily deteriorate.
Syrian opposition groups have prepared for a post-Assad era following the 2011 war outbreak. The Syrian National Council (SNC) was formed in 2011, and was later replaced by the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Etilaf. These groups were recognized by Western and Gulf countries as representatives of the Syrian people. Further efforts were made through the UN-led Geneva Process in 2012 to promote a nationwide ceasefire in Syria.
On Nov. 27 2024, a coalition of opposition fighters launched a focus operation against Assad’s regime, with the first attack striking between Idlib and Aleppo. Three days later, the opposition took control of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria.
On Dec. 8 2024, the opposition forces in Syria declared the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule. Syrian freedom fighters announced that the “tyrant al-Assad has been toppled” and they have freed all military prisoners from Sednaya in Damascus. The former president has reportedly fled the country, opening the seat for a new age of democracy.
Soldiers and police officers began abandoning their posts and fleeing the country. Major cities in Syria, Damascus and Homs celebrated the fall of the regime by waving the flag of the revolution and chanting anti-Assad slogans.
Since the overthrow of Assad’s regime by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria has committed to governmental reform with Ahmed al-Sharaa assuming power as an interim President. On March 13, 2025, Sharaa signed a temporary constitution and appointed new cabinet members stating that the constitution will balance social security and freedom.
The proposed government includes plans to appoint professionals from the Syrian diaspora in reconstruction efforts. The current cabinet has 23 members, representing a mix of religious and ethnic backgrounds, and includes a secretary general. The proposed governmental framework outlines judicial reforms including establishment of an independent judiciary and reconciliation commissions. The government continues to undergo moments of construction and uncertainty with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), led by Kurdish factions, calling for local autonomy and federalism. Additionally, the ideological differences between secular democratic advocates and Islamist groups regarding the role of religion in the state remain unresolved.
