Biden Welcomes Assad's Fall, Warns About the History of Some Syrian Rebel Groups

The U.S. President welcomed the fall of Bashar al-Assad and expressed concern about the future of Syria, citing the 'terrorist actions and human rights violations' of some rebel groups. On Sunday, December 9, after a meeting with his national security team, Joe Biden stated that some rebel groups that overthrew Bashar al-Assad have a 'dark history in terrorism,' and Washington will assess whether they have moderated their positions. The United States officially designated the Islamist group 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham,' which played a key role in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, as a terrorist organization in 2018, and the European Union, the UK, Turkey, and several other countries have also listed this group as terrorist. This group and its allies facilitated the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government within 11 days by attacking various cities in Syria. The armed rebels announced on Saturday night that they entered Damascus, the capital of Syria, without any resistance, leading to Bashar al-Assad's exit from Syria. On Sunday night, Russian media reported that the ousted Syrian president had entered Moscow, and Russia granted him and his family asylum 'for humanitarian reasons.' In his speech on Sunday night, the U.S. President noted that the recent statements from the rebels indicating a moderation of their positions are being considered, but reminded that 'their actions are important to us.' Al-Qaeda or Jabhat al-Nusra, which were the original roots of 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham,' committed widespread atrocities against Christians and minorities. However, the current leaders of this group have repeatedly stated that they have distanced themselves from al-Qaeda and will protect the rights of religious and ethnic minorities. The U.S. President further stated that the sudden fall of the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad is a 'fundamental act of justice' after decades of repression, but this situation also represents a 'moment of danger and uncertainty' for the Middle East. Biden attributed the developments in Syria to the actions of the United States and its allies to weaken Assad's supporters, including Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, stating that for the first time, these countries were no longer able to defend Bashar al-Assad's government. He added, 'Our approach has changed the balance of power in the Middle East.' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that the rapid advances of the Islamist group 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' in Syria indicate that Assad's supporters, including Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah militants, are preoccupied with other issues and 'their attention' has been diverted from Syrian matters. Previously, Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, also stated that Iran and Russia, as Assad's supporters, had no interest in continuing to support him and that Assad 'fled.' He, set to assume the presidency on January 20, added that Russia and Iran, Assad's two main supporters, are 'currently in a weak position; one due to Ukraine and a weak economy, and the other due to Israel and its military successes.'