SYrian rebel forces led by HTS declared they had ousted President Bashar al-Assad and he had fled Damascus. HTS is a Sunni Islamist militant group that originated from the Syrian civil war in 2011. Considered a terrorist organization globally, it has fractured ties with al-Qaeda. Despite claiming independence from al-Qaeda, doubts remain about their connection. HTS aims to topple Assad and establish Islamic rule in Syria. They are Syria’s strongest rebel group, raising concerns about imposing draconian Islamist rule. The country has been embroiled in civil war since 2011, resulting in over half a million deaths and millions fleeing overseas. The recent rebel offensive led to the capture of the key city of Homs, severing Damascus from a coastal region crucial to Assad’s power. The fall of Homs followed a new offensive that started ten days earlier, giving insurgents control over strategic areas in Syria. The Syrian conflict has left key infrastructure in ruins and has caused widespread devastation.
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Syrian rebels claim that Bashar al-Assad has escaped; but what is HTS?
