Collapse of Assad regime: How it happened

How the Syrian regime collapsed, bringing an end to half a century of rule by the Assad family.

After five decades of Assad family rule in Syria, the regime collapsed as the insurgents broke out from a rebel-held enclave and advanced rapidly on Damascus, capturing city after city in just a few days.

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Opposition forces swept through the country and entered the capital with minimal resistance as the Syrian army disintegrated. President Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for 24 years after succeeding his father, Hafez Assad, fled the country. According to Russian state media, he is now in Moscow.

This marks a dramatic turn in Syria’s 13-year conflict. What began as anti-government protests in 2011 escalated into a civil war after a harsh crackdown, leaving over half a million dead and displacing half of Syria’s prewar population of 23 million. With support from Iran and Russia, Assad had managed to reclaim more than two-thirds of the country, confining rebel forces to a single stronghold in the northwest.

For years, the conflict remained stalemate — until late November, when events took an unexpected and decisive turn. Here’s how it happened over the last two weeks:

With inputs from Associated Press and PTI