Syria news: Ousted Assad flees to Moscow; world leaders rejoice, oil prices edge up | 10 points

Syrian civil war: Crowds thronged the streets on Saturday, December 8 to celebrate the fall of Bashar Assad’s government, marking an end to over 50 years of dictatorship. The dictator, who had kept rebel forces at bay with help from Russia and Iran, has now landed in Russia, after being granted asylum, stated reports.

The Syrian civil war started during the Arab Spring, around 2010, and evolved into a brutal, complex conflict involving domestic opposition groups and international powers such as the United States, Iran, and Russia. Over 500,000 Syrians have lost their lives, and millions more have been forced to flee their homes, The New York Times reported.

Here’s what we know about the Syrian civil war so far.

Syrian Civil War: Top Updates

US President Joe Biden commented on the end of Assad’s regime, stating that the “fall was a fundamental act of justice.” “It is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty,” Biden commented on X.

Oil prices edged higher on Monday, amid the escalating tensions in Syria. Brent crude futures rose 0.3 per cent to $71.34 per barrel by 0140 GMT. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose up to $67.42 per barrel.

Following Assad’s exit from the country, pictures from Reuters show a toppled statue of the dictator lying on the ground.

Russia has called for a UN Security Council Meeting on Monday to discuss the Syrian unrest. “Given the latest events in Syria, of which the depth and consequences for this country and the whole of the region have not yet been measured, Russia has called for urgent closed-door consultations of the Security Council of the United Nations,” a senior Russian official stated, reported AFP.

Iranian ambassador to Syria believes that the aftermath of Bashar Assad’s rule would be beyond the control of the US. Hossein Akbari said that the “developments in the region will be beyond American control” and could possibly result in conflict between regional countries and Turkey.

With Bashar Assad out of the country, Syrian rebel forces have been freeing prisoners from the Aleppo Central prison, Al Jazeera reported. Several freed prisoners recounted horrors of the past, stating how their lives were identified by prison numbers and not their names.

China “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday,  The China Global South Project reported.

Israel’s prime minister has announced its military has temporarily seized control of a demilitarised buffer zone in the Golan Heights in Syria, reported the BBC.

According to latest inputs, Indian nationals in Syria are safe, and the Indian government is in touch with them. There are 90 Indian nationals in Syria, of which 14 work for UN missions.

US carried out a major round of airstrikes on over 75 Islamic State targets on Sunday, and warned the terror group against trying to regain strength in the country after rebels took over the government, stated reports.