On Sunday, the United States launched airstrikes targeting dozens of ISIS positions in Syria, just hours after rebels took control of the capital, Damascus, and forced Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country. This event marks a significant shift in Syria’s ongoing civil war, which has been raging for over a decade.
President Joe Biden addressed the situation from the White House, stressing that the U.S. was fully aware that the Islamic State group would likely try to exploit any power vacuum left by the fall of the Assad regime. Biden vowed that the U.S. would not allow ISIS to re-establish itself in Syria. In response, US military aircraft launched strikes against over 75 ISIS targets across central Syria. The U.S. Central Command confirmed that the airstrikes were carried out using a range of assets, including B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets, and A-10 attack aircraft.
The United States currently has approximately 900 troops stationed in southeast Syria, where they continue to combat ISIS militants.
Also read: Bashar al-Assad, family flee to Russia as rebels take over Syria
Biden also referred to the downfall of Assad’s government as a “fundamental act of justice,” calling it a historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria. Assad and his family have reportedly sought asylum in Russia after being ousted from power. His departure follows an unexpected and rapid offensive by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew the Assad regime after 13 years of civil war.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a leading figure among the rebels, declared a new era for the region, stating, “A new history, my brothers, is being written in the entire region after this great victory.” The rebels began their march on Damascus on November 27, coinciding with a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.
Since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, the conflict has claimed over 500,000 lives and displaced millions, creating a dire humanitarian crisis.
