Syrian rebels claim Bashar al-Assad has left: Exploring HTS

Syrian rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) declared they had ousted President Bashar al-Assad and he had fled Damascus. HTS is a Sunni Islamist militant group formed during the Syrian civil war. It is considered a terrorist organization globally and has connections to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. HTS aims to establish Islamic rule in Syria by toppling Assad and expelling Iran from the area. Some Syrians fear they will impose draconian Islamist rule or instigate reprisals. The country has been in a civil war since 2011, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees. Rebels recently gained full control of the city of Homs, severing Damascus from a key region controlled by Assad’s Alawite sect. The fall of Homs followed a new rebel offensive that started about 10 days ago. This has significantly impacted the power dynamics in Syria.

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