Shafaq News/Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s sudden disappearance amid a rapid rebeladvance has signaled an extraordinary shift in the power structure of thestrategically Middle Eastern country, which his family has ruled for over fivedecades.
Bashar, thesecond generation of the Al-Assad family dynasty, has led Syria since 2000,following the death of his father, Hafez al-Al-Assad. His regime faced amassive challenge when protests erupted across Syria during the Arab Spring in2011, calling for greater political freedom and reform.
However, insteadof opening dialogue windows, Al-Assad's government launched a crackdown, whichescalated into a bloody civil war that has raged for more than 13 years andkilled about 500,000 people.
Throughout the conflict, Al-Assad's government has been accused of widespreadhuman rights violations, including the use of chemical weapons againstcivilians.
His regimewas condemned internationally by the United States, Jordan, Turkiye, and theEuropean Union, all of whom called for his resignation. Despite these calls andsevere Western sanctions, Al-Assad's position remained secure, largely due tothe support of powerful allies Russia and Iran, who helped maintain his grip onpower.
Initially,Al-Assad was not the designated heir to the presidency. He studiedophthalmology in London, and his older brother, Bassel, was groomed to succeedtheir father. However, after Bassel’s tragic death in a car accident in 1994,Bashar was thrust into the political spotlight. He later studied militaryscience and became a colonel in the Syrian army.
FollowingHafez al-Al-Assad's death in June 2000, the Syrian parliament swiftly amendedthe constitution to lower the presidential age limit, allowing Bashar, who was34 at the time, to succeed his father.
Al-Assad waselected without opposition in 2000, and his leadership was initially seen bymany as a potential turning point for Syria, with hopes of economicliberalization and reform.
Thepresident's wife, Asma al-Al-Assad, a former investment banker of Syriandescent, was seen as an influential figure in promoting his image as amodernizer. However, observers say that Al-Assad’s reformist promises quicklyfaded, as his regime cracked down on members of the Damascus Spring movement,which had called for political freedoms.
Throughoutthe war, Al-Assad's stance remained unchanged, repeatedly framing the conflictas a battle against "terrorists." He justified his militarycampaigns, including the use of airstrikes, as necessary to eliminate theseinsurgents. Meanwhile, his regime maintained its longstanding alliances withmilitant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, further isolating Syria from theinternational community.
Al-Assad hasbeen re-elected multiple times since taking power, with the most recentelection in 2021 widely criticized as fraudulent by Western nations, includingthe United States, the United Kingdom, and several European countries.
WithAl-Assad’s sudden disappearance amid a major opposition advance, Syria faces anew chapter. The question now remains: who will fill the power vacuum left byhis sudden absence, and what will the future hold for a country that has beenravaged by years of conflict?
Source:Shafaq News + agencies