Iranian-backed President Bashar al-Asad has been toppled in Syria, meaning an end of the 54-year minority Alawite, (or Alawee), Shiite rule in Syria.
Assad fled the country yesterday, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war, which became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers.
His sudden overthrow, at the hands of a revolt partly backed by Turkey and with roots in jihadist Sunni Islam, could allow millions of refugees scattered for more than a decade in camps across Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to finally return home. However, it will limit Iran’s ability to spread weapons to its allies and could cost Russia its Mediterranean naval base.
For Syrians, it brought a sudden unexpected end to a war in deep freeze for years, with hundreds of thousands dead, cities pounded to dust and an economy hallowed by global sanctions.
The Alawite-led Assad regime had maintained power despite being a minority group in a predominantly Sunni Muslim country. However, this dominance has also fueled resentment and played a significant role in the sectarian nature of conflicts such as the Syrian Civil War.
