The Syrian conflict, long one of the most devastating crises of the 21st century, may be approaching a critical turning point with the ousting of Bashar Assad. Yet, declaring an end to the conflict remains premature. The removal of Assad marks an inflection point, but the scars of 61 years of autocratic rule under the Assad dynasty-characterized by violence, repression, and human rights violations-will not heal easily. The international community must act decisively to prevent Syria from spiraling into further chaos and to support its transition toward stability.
In 1963, a coup by Baathist military officers ended Syria’s brief experiment with democracy, ushering in decades of authoritarian rule. Hafez Assad, one of those officers, consolidated power in 1970 and ruled Syria with an iron fist until his death in 2000. During his reign, thousands of Syrians, Lebanese, Palestinians, and others were killed, disappeared, or tortured. Hafez’s regime created a culture of fear and obedience, forcing citizens to feign loyalty while seething with resentment beneath the surface.
However, the brutality of Hafez Assad was overshadowed by his son and successor, Bashar Assad. Bashar’s rule, which began in 2000, descended into even darker depths during the Syrian civil war. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed, and millions were displaced as Assad’s forces unleashed unthinkable violence, including chemical attacks, sieges, and mass detentions. Today, Syria’s infrastructure lies in ruins, and its economy is a shadow of its former self, crippled by corruption, war profiteering, and the destruction of key industries. The once-centralized state apparatus has fragmented, with various factions controlling different territories.
The new rulers of Syria face an immensely complex and fractured landscape. Geographically, politically, and socially divided, Syria is a patchwork of conflicting interests. Ethnic and religious groups, emboldened by years of war, have staked claims to autonomy or control........