Thousands flee as Syrian rebels close in on third major city
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As Moscow Confirms Assad's Asylum, Israel Seizes Syria's Golan Heights
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Above: People celebrate holding a large Syrian opposition flag at Umayyad Square in Damascus on Dec. 9, 2024. Image copyright: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that Russia has granted asylum to Bashar al-Assad and his family after they fled Syria over the weekend. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision was made by Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin, stating that, "Such decisions certainly cannot be made without the head of state."
It comes after an offensive in which anti-government forces swept through Syria in a matter of days — seizing Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, and Homs by the end of Saturday, before entering the capital of Damascus on Sunday and prompting Assad to leave the country.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
At long last, Assad's dictatorship over Syria has come to an end. It's unclear what comes next for the country but the US and other international partners look forward to working with all stakeholders in Syria to ensure that this opportunity is seized and that mistakes are avoided.
Establishment-critical narrative
After years of trying, the US empire, and other interested parties such as Israel, have finally succeeded in toppling Assad. Now it's just a matter of seeing how much devastation is caused by this latest instance of regime change.
