Assad fled to Moscow - has Assad regime fallen?

[Dennis Donovan]

CALL TO ACTIVISM
‪@calltoactivism.bsky.social‬
BREAKING NEWS:

Syrian state TV reports that the Assad regime has fallen in Aleppo.

Reports say Assad has fled to Moscow.

This is a sad day for Putin puppets.

November 29, 2024 at 7:10 PM

Looking for more info

https://bsky.app/profile/calltoactivism.bsky.social/post/3lc4sn32u5c22

Jay in Kyiv
Like similar to what Kyiv will look like when these Russian bastards are finally gone, Aleppo celebrating tonight, the ousting of the Russian-backed Assad forces from the city.

It took Russians 5 years to conquer the city but only 2 days to lose it.
Video in tweet below
Last edited 4:29 PM · Nov 29, 2024

Link to tweet

Drew Pavlou
Holy shit. Syrian rebels take the entirety of Aleppo in 24 hours.

The biggest defeat for Assad in the entire history of the Syrian Civil War and the biggest Russian setback in the Middle East since their intervention

A massive defeat for Putin

7:01 PM · Nov 29, 2024

Link to tweet

Igor Sushko
🚨 Syria: Second largest city in the country, Aleppo, 2.1 million population, fell to the rebel coalition in just 2 days of operation.
Syrian dictator Assad fled to Moscow at the beginning to beg Putin for help and is yet to return.
Video in tweet below
1:42 PM · Nov 29, 2024

Link to tweet

(((Tendar)))
‪@tendar.bsky.social‬
Breaking:
Syrian rebels have reached the famous citadel of Aleppo.
We are starting to see solid evidence that the Assad regime presence has fully collapsed.
Video in link below
November 29, 2024 at 4:48 PM

https://bsky.app/profile/tendar.bsky.social/post/3lc4korrags2p

Jon Cooper
‪@joncooper-us.bsky.social‬
Wonderful news, if true: Assad has reportedly fled Syria in the face of the shockingly successful offensive by rebel forces, and has arrived in Moscow with members of his family.
November 29, 2024 at 6:07 PM

https://bsky.app/profile/joncooper-us.bsky.social/post/3lc4p4i62ys2z

[Lunabell]

1. Maybe Tulsi will let him stay at her place.

But, he's got billions tucked away. I'm sure he'll be OK without couch surfing.

[Blue_Tires]

2. Holy fucking hell!!! 😮

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly27r5p0yno

Assad must have been falling asleep at the wheel!

The best part is Putin has all his best assets committed to Ukraine and Donnie hasn't been sworn in yet SO NEITHER ONE CAN JUMP IN TO SAVE HIM!! 😂

[Lunabell]

3. Oh, fuck.

They'll probably move on to Israel! Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck!

[haele]

10. No, these are the Turkish backed Sunni HTS -

Not the Iranian/Shia based Hezbollah or Hamas.
Chances are Mossad tacitly supports them.
This group is Anti-Assad/Anti-Putin. And probably anti-Iran, as Russia is kind of an ally of Iran.

https://www.dw.com/en/syria-insurgents-enter-aleppo-in-new-anti-assad-offensive/a-70923815
(DW News is a German News Agency, pretty reliable)

Haele

[Lunabell]

12. Oh.

I thought it was the isis group. They're shia, right? I can't keep up with all of the different factions. Or as we call it in Protestant Christianity, denominations.

[hatrack]

59. No, ISIS is Sunni . .

.

[liberalla]

13. These details are good to know! Thank you for adding them here!

[kirby]

16. HTS is US designated terrorist organization n/t

[Prairie Gates]

40. The Southern Poverty Law Center is about to be designated as a terrorist organization

[soandso]

21. They're a spin off of al Qaeda

HTS conducts small battles against the Syrian regime, its militants, and other jihadi groups because they all go against its ideology. They mostly operate in Syria, particularly Idlib but also Aleppo, Hama, and Dera’a. The power retrieved by the group, on Turkey’s behalf, has provoked an increase of violent strategies aside from military tactics. In extreme cases, they undergo hard punishment for fornication (i.e. stoning people to death). They also gain money, either by holding people for ransom or attaining the attention of government personnel for political action. Some of their hostages include UN peacekeepers, Western reporters, and Lebanese soldiers.

https://thekootneeti.in/2020/10/14/the-evolutionary-strategies-of-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-in-syria/

In July 2016, al-Nusra formally re-designated itself from Jabhat al-Nusra to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham ("Front for the Conquest of the Levant&quot and officially announced that it was breaking ties with Al-Qaeda.[42][43]

The announcement caused defections of senior Al-Nusra commanders and criticism from al-Qaeda ranks, provoking a harsh rebuke from Ayman al-Zawahiri, who denounced it as an "act of disobedience".[44] On 28 January 2017, following violent clashes with Ahrar al-Sham and other rebel groups, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS) merged with four other groups to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a new Sunni Islamist militant group.[45] Tahrir al-Sham denies any links to the al-Qaeda network and said in a statement that the group is "an independent entity and not an extension of previous organizations or factions".[46] Mutual hostilities eventually deteriorated into one of violent confrontations, with Al-Nusra commander Sami al-Oraydi accusing HTS of adopting nationalist doctrines. Sami al-Oraydi, alongside other Al-Qaeda loyalists like Abu Humam al-Shami, Abu Julaybib and others, mobilised Al-Qaeda personnel in northwestern Syria to establish an anti-HTS front in north-western Syria, eventually forming Hurras al-Din on 27 February 2018.[47][48][44]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nusra_Front

See, these Salafist groups divide like cells and re-form into other groups, who have differences with each and fight but are all jihadists. Some want a stateless caliphate and some just want to control Syria (and other places where they've operated) but they are all dangerous, criminal and extremely violent.

[Arazi]

24. Yup. Their leader is actually an ISIS member

Abu Muhammad Al-Julani

Post- Assad Syria may be worse if that’s possible

😬

[soandso]

36. I didn't know that

When the insurgency of jihadists first began the war, I followed quite closely for a while and I found it to be the most complicated war I've ever followed. Endless factions, constantly splitting and forming new ones, all backed by foreign (the west, the Gulf state Sunnis, Turkey) money and weapons. At that time. I saved a very funny newspaper clip that perfectly summed it all up:

https://imgur.com/q1yUclZ

[Lulu KC]

55. Great clipping

Complicated is right. I need a family tree format to even pretend to grasp this in a substantial way.

During the Mueller investigation I think it was the NYT that had a great little interactive chart where you could click on one name and all the connections would light up. That format would be helpful now.

[soandso]

56. Everything over there

(and just about everywhere else, it seems), is a matter of "my enemy's enemy is my friend". Hence Israel providing medical treatment, in Israel, to wounded al Nusra (al Qaeda) fighters from Syria.

[Mosby]

69. There are credible reports

That Aleppo Christians are fleeing to Kurkish controlled areas. There are videos of X-mas trees and X-mas decorations being torn down.

[Arazi]

70. Not surprised at all

Assad is a monster. ISIS are monsters. It seems too difficult to hope that tolerant peace loving leaders could be leaders in these countries.

I heard Assad is back in Damascus after being rebuffed by Putin in Moscow. I wonder how long he lasts. Everyone hates him

[Prairie Gates]

39. They are 100% anti-Iran and it is a virtual certainty that Mossad co-funded this operation

[karynnj]

52. I think they are the jihadists that were linked to ISIS.

They were among the groups that the US determined we could not support.

[2naSalit]

11. They probably...

Just want their country back from a tyrant.

[Iggo]

14. Wait...what?

Was Assad Israel’s shield and I just didn’t know it?

[Prairie Gates]

41. LOL No

[Sanity Claws]

4. May Trump join them soon

[Rebl2]

19. My first

thought as well.

[Blaukraut]

5. Who is going to fill that vacuum? n/t

[Lunabell]

6. ISIS

Scary thought.

[soandso]

23. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham hopes to

but you can be sure that fighting will erupt with another al Qaeda spinoff or Turkey.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

7. Would have liked to see Assad get the Ceaucescu treatment. nt

[Dennis Donovan]

9. He knew either he was going to get the Mussolini or the Gadhafi...

That's why he GTFO.

[eppur_se_muova]

20. So ... now he gets the Amin, or pretty close to it.

Frankly, Amin got the better deal, especially re. standard of living -- and climate.

[JoseBalow]

26. The Baby Doc

[Marcuse]

29. I'd have preferred he'd shared the fate of Edward II.

[JI7]

8. Seems like things still be bad no matter what happens

in this area.

[LeftInTX]

15. What?

[UTUSN]

17. My *yippee* wiĺ only be bigger when it's Drumpf falling -

And I don't want to hear "He's not HITLER/ASSAD/whomever". My yippee will be LARGE.

[Dem4life1234]

66. Same!

He needs to go!

[electric_blue68]

18. Wow

[Diraven]

22. Isn't Assad in Damascus?

I don't know why he'd flee just because rebels took Aleppo.

[Prairie Gates]

42. Agreed. This is dubious

There's no reason to flee Damascus if you're Assad. Aleppo is on the frontier to rebel held territory and has been for years. This offensive is indeed shocking, but we're talking about 20-50 kilometers. Damascus is 350 km away.

[duncang]

46. If he did go to Moscow

I’d bet it was to personally ask Putin for more help. Not to flee.

[BComplex]

50. That would be my bet. eom

[Johonny]

25. Biden winning all the way to Jan 20th

[JoseBalow]

27. This is GREAT news if it true!

[Polybius]

32. Not if ISIS replaces him n/t

[JoseBalow]

33. ISIS is a less formidable enemy than Assad

Last edited Sat Nov 30, 2024, 03:03 PM - Edit history (1)

Depending, of course, on whether one considers them enemies.

[Polybius]

34. I think ISIS is worse

Assad only killed you if you disobeyed him. ISIS will kill you for not being Islamic enough.

[Lulu KC]

37. The rebels who are leading right now in the fight are Sunni

Last edited Sun Dec 1, 2024, 01:02 AM - Edit history (2)

But I believe they were in territorial battles with ISIS at one time.
They are Islamist jihadists.
They are anti-Iran, anti-Hezbollah, anti-Hamas, anti-Russia. Turkey is their champion.

I'm trying to retrieve shreds of things I used to know that are buried under more recent developments. This might have been the most informative thing I've found so far.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce313jn453zo

[karynnj]

53. ISIS was Sunni, including many from Iraq who were

Saddam Hussein's people.

[Lulu KC]

54. Yikes!

Wikipedia failed me! Thanks for correction. Will fix.

[soandso]

38. You got that right

This is a Latin dance class in Damascus:



Ain't nobody going to see men and women out socializing like that if and when the jihadists take over.

[Prairie Gates]

44. Didn't have "Celebrate the diversity of the Assad regime" on my Saturday bingo card

[soandso]

45. Well, as bad as the Assad regime is

or more like when his father was in power, Assad is an Alawite and is was Assad the father who made Syria a secular state, much to the consternation of the Sunnis (the majority).

[Prairie Gates]

47. We like secular states because they tend to be less murderous

But if a secular state is just as murderous as a religious state, then the fact that it is secular is of little value or interest.

There's no doubt that HTS is a group of extremely unlikeable and disturbing characters, who will no doubt cause a lot of harm, especially since they will be in coalition with other maniacs. But defending the absolutely vile Assad regime because there are Latin dance classes in Damascus is truly fucking bizarre argumentation.

[soandso]

48. Yeah, well

I didn't defend the regime. The fact is that people have relative freedom if they aren't Islamists who are enemies of the regime. Women do not have to cover themselves, it's okay to drink alcohol, go to the clubs and stuff like that. Living under some fanatical caliphate is not like that. Alawites don't force their religious beliefs on anyone and people are free to believe as they choose without getting their heads cuts off.

[LeftInTX]

57. Assad is not an Islamist

There is also a sizable Christian population in Syria.

The Christians tend to support Assad

[Prairie Gates]

58. He murders people in large num,bers

I don't give a fuck what label you put on him. Are you kidding me right now? We have an Assad support crew omn DU????

[LeftInTX]

60. You support ISIS?

Do we have ISIS supporters on DU now?

[Prairie Gates]

61. Uh, no, I don't. Do you support Assad?

[LeftInTX]

62. No. But you are supporting ISIS because that

is who is trying to oust Assad.

[Prairie Gates]

63. I'm not supporting ISIS, and Assad is a genocidal murderer who you are supporting

because you wantn him to stay in power. Assad murdered hundreds of thousands.

[LeftInTX]

64. No, but that is who is trying to oust Assad

[Prairie Gates]

65. Assad is a genocidal murderer

He should stay in power? Jesus, guy. What?

[LeftInTX]

67. Sorry you didn't get the memo about ISIS

[Prairie Gates]

68. You don't have the slightest idea of what's going on

Keep saying ISIS. The people who are taking over northwest Syria are Sunni jihadists and awful people, but they are not ISIS. Gte some basic knowledge before you support a genocidal murderer like Assad. Sorry you didn't get the memo on any of this, or on the 100,000s that Assad has murdered.

[RainCaster]

28. Are there any news outlets that confirm this?

I feel that social media is not the most reliable news media. Just sayin.

[usonian]

30. Like, don't news outlets just get their news from social media?

Or ChatGPT?

Asking for a friend.

[Lulu KC]

35. It's all over except for Assad in Moscow

Front page about Aleppo but I'm only seeing sources from far away saying that Assad went to Moscow to meet with Putin a couple of days ago and hasn't returned.

Standing by for more. Complexity is mesmerizing.

[Polybius]

31. Oh shit!

I fear whoever replaces him will be far, far worse. ISIS.

[Prairie Gates]

43. Me watching the panicky Putinites come out in droves

[Qutzupalotl]

49. Maybe Tulsi can visit him in Moscow.

Give him some of that aid and comfort she's so fond of.

[Celerity]

51. Assad was apparently already in Moscow when the attack started.

https://www.axios.com/2024/11/30/syria-rebels-assad-aleppo

snip

The attack on the city took place while Assad is visiting Moscow ahead of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

Driving the news: Armed rebel groups opened a surprise offensive on Aleppo on Wednesday and quickly overran the Syrian army, pro-Iranian militias and some Russian forces in the area.

The offensive is led by Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist opposition group backed by Turkey and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S.

snip

[mucholderthandirt]

71. May they rule better, be kinder, more humane, more open to change. I doubt it, but well, hope springs something.