Bashar al-Assad has been defeated by Islamic rebels in Syria and forced to flee the country. The overthrow of the Assad government led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a major event for the region. While the rebellion in Syria is beneficial for America, Israel and Türkiye, it is a big blow for Russia, Iran and its ally Hezbollah.
Who benefited from the fall of Assad?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was a thorn in the side of the US, Türkiye and Israel because of his ties to Russia and Iran. Now after his fall these countries are very happy. On the fall of Assad, US President Joe Biden said that Assad’s departure not only comes after decades of repression but also a time of danger and uncertainty for the Middle East.
America and Europe get a boost
Therefore, the fall of Assad will help the US counter terrorism, reduce Iranian influence, and promote stability in the Middle East. Assad’s fall is a morale boost for the US and Europe as Russia and Iran are weakened by the loss of key allies in the region. This is a welcome step for newly elected US President Donald Trump and his Western allies.
Turkey also benefits
As far as Turkey is concerned, some analysts say that Türkiye is also involved to some extent in the coup in Syria. Turkey used it to help rebel groups against the Assad government. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bashar al-Assad were once friends, but when Syria’s civil war broke out 14 years ago, Erdogan backed rebel groups as Turkey’s geographic rival Iran came to support Assad.
Türkiye is a major sponsor of Syria’s armed Islamic opposition groups. As the war progressed, Turkish-backed rebels in Syria grew stronger. The fall of Assad will now help Erdogan pursue his geopolitical agenda. This will help them achieve several strategic goals, one of which is curbing Kurdish separatists in northeastern Syria.