as himself, but i mean, he had very few realistic options open to him, but to see the company. yeah, exactly. once he got to this point, people they ruminating as of what he could have done previously. and i surprise one of the issues that has come up time and time again is that he was quite inflexible in his approach, in terms of any negotiations with regional states or with opposition groups and always choose why or the highway. and as it turned out at the end of the day, it was the highway. but for him, on the, on a new, just touch on this point, just a 2nd ago, many terms of the miniature dynamic. and it's, it's been a complete route of the serial. now, i mean that it seems i put up any kind of fight against the opposition forces did not come as a surprise to to yeah. listen, i think uh the complete disintegration uh effectively of the siri military. uh, they had uh, mold enough time for uh to pay uh,

effective defenses that are up against a relatively lightly and opposition group. that was my ball, but i could still put up a much greater defensive benefit and i do need. and while it is largely icons, group, tommy, there are some 1st law enforcers within the siri military, and i don't appear to have stayed for the fight either. so i think at the same time is that ultimately what the right jane would have wanted was for the military to put up a strong enough fight to allow external assistance to come to the president's eye. and because the military collapse so quickly, but the russia and around decides it was not worth a while to strike good money after bad. yeah, and it's interesting, that's the, that's the burden. some point you make roger about the external systems because, you know, russia and iran reports the pets, blah columns were heading across the buddha, back into 11 on russia, talking about,

you know, a diplomatic or from but diplomatic solution. they picked to be a band and i didn't buy this and i think they made a, a rational decision. we saw billy in the original uprising against the side. we saw that a ron did a vessel light for a period of time lying at way. it was with a while, but they had decided to pitch in and russia did after that, i think they might design calculations this time. but the events, news i rapid late excited by the fact that the military, certain military collapse, i quickly that they just believe that putting their forces in homes, i was not going to change the end result or it's, i wrote it down on the littlest security on this the talking to us from sidney in australia, roger, always good to get your thoughts here on al jazeera to clean times like this one. just so thank you very much indeed for your time before we move on. let's just show you some pictures here of the syrian capital dom asked us whether it was

celebration jubilation. the sound of gunfire around, let's just see and hear what happened. the . so that was the sound of gunfire earlier in the syrian capital, damascus, as those opposition rebel forces entered the city. so let's move on because there is political and territory landscape is transformed in the space of little over a week. it's been a lightning offensive by the opposite, and one of the most popular figures imagines the leader of higher tough for you. i'll show about how many l jolanda i'm just here as barbara and goldman looks at his aims and what it could mean for the future of syria. he's unmatched as the man leading the charge of fights as in syria. but nicholas known about the apple mohammed, alto lani is no stranger to the position some of the commendable. he's the leader

of hyatt, terry. it shows the, came from in his in 2016 when he announced the reprint in his group. i'm a dropout on the stress and it spits from al qaeda the other. his goal to create what he said was an add to a shame front in syria, a phone in damascus in 1982. i'm at a loss track. gilani took a suit and then one he says, references family history of expulsion from the now they pied girl and heights after the creation of israel and 2003 up to the us. inflation of the rock. giovanni left syria joining alcala in iraq, which left to her subsequent interest, and in 2011, to return to syria, as the fond of on this row, to take part in the revolution against president bush, alice. and most recently, it's been trying to present a more moderate view of the revolution to take back syria from decades of assets.

brit for rule the a below that evolution that he's began entering the city of how much to send it ties up, the wound that has to be left and cd or 40 is as good that it might be that it to be a conk listed in which there is no event but 100 in the, in the southern offensive by opposition spots us in syria. quote, much of the world by surprise. and giovanni is now trying to send the message to allies of the syrian government that this time, things are different. the good news in the same way it all can prime minister them how much she asked with any distance his country late keep from the water between it on the end. that agent we attempt to distance it ok from entering the new furnace. so what's happening in syria fuel to and how to do that with the mosse cause now under the control of a position, 5 tests and talk to more than a decade of conflict. the well to be look into upper mohammed l giovanni to see

what type of transition she brings to syria. barbara, and oh, to 0. what is we're doing? i'll just say it was a no hold us. you joins us now from the board of crossing in. must not in neighboring 11 on saying, so just to cut through what exactly you are and what people are saying about the dramatic events, some folding inside syria across the board of yes, we are at the main border crossing between 11 on and syria. it's nearly a 40 minute drive to damascus. syrians has. 6 to together here at the crossing, it is close there asking why is that close? we want to go back home. there's a lots of excitement, hundreds of thousands of syrians escaped during the war to the not in the us. um, as far as the q sion others came, is economic migrants because the economy collapse in syria, this man is from damascus suburb of the yeah, the yeah, it was a rebel bastion. it was where the pro democracy movement began in 2011. and this

man took part in those protests demanding freedom and, and the rule of law. but a year later, when the government cracked down on the protest movements, he lost his father. he lost his brother and he lost the son of his sister, his and his nephew, and now he is waiting just to go back home. he's going to speak to me in arabic, and i will translate into should with has tell me what the hall allowed do. so i can i, i found out that, alright my, my happiness i, that's what are you, what is the syria of the long literal syria, bashar assad has fall. and i know from the power of the to the not that i, you love, i've been waiting for this moment for the past 12 years. always show up below for equipment. so if the is gone to the move on and all the other the, all these other, i mean the said that they suffered throughout the years under what they are calling

unimpressive, receive the. busy this they are not from how large or late late i was she instead of the shad? i'm asking him why did he take to the streets in 2011. it was because of the oppression, the humiliation. the way that they were treated by a, by the regime, but some of the killed, they killed children, they killed women. the shovel that they are, rest of the world on, they destroyed is all of them henry, because the people demand the freedom. so the and, and, you know, and there was a lot of who run 2nd with that body and the gunners, but enough for your business. this is a very important the lines of the, the, all the, the, the 4th day they were forcing these young man to join an army. and most of them they, they, they escaped to 11 on simply because they did not want to fight up their fellow syrians. and this really explains why you saw that the army, the government troops, chromebooks as a rebels,

made their lightning advance towards towards the capital. because there was no way to fight, there was no will to fight for a regime that people were not loyal to, there was no will to fight against their fellow syrians. so now people are here waiting to go back home. we know that the opposition has issued a statement calling on fellow syrians around the world to return to a free syria into charlotte pest. see any of the serious deeds in the hyphen on to the lock. so the office for the faithful people are not worried about what comes to the name of it's going to be a democratic state, the civil stay, the all the, all the are going to live the with each other. i don't know. and they're hoping for security the, i don't was the, the, the, some of that as soon as you know how to go out nice. you saw or more about monthly . she decided and i wrote and i look a lot know mama and here's a muslim and his teacher, your teacher around it was, it was, it was

a christian and people are going to live side by side. so there's so much hope there's so much excitement here just about this new beginning and ends of not just bossard i said through he has been in power since the year 2000. he took over from his late father house, as i said, but the, the, the, the outside dynasty for many people will hear what they have been chanting throughout the years throughout this conflict is that syria does not belong to the said family. but syria belongs to, to the syrian people, but not just for the, for the money. i like the law, the move on, you know, but you know, you and they're just so they're requesting that the 11 you so story to, to open the border because they just cannot wait to get back home. after waiting all these years for the change to happen in syria is and it just one more full before you go. i mean, you know, clearly off the 24 years of upsides route and 13 years of more. i mean people can't

even leave. just remind us about the number of people who fled this conflict across the board. busy in the head for the 1000000 word, millions that are in millions of people fled to neighboring countries, whether it was turkey or whether it was jordan, whether 11 on more than a 1000000 syrians are in love and on. yes, not all of them are, are refugees and the sense of the word that they escaped, the word of what they escaped, the fact that they couldn't survive. they couldn't make ends meet. the syrian pound has lost the value over over um, over the years, and over the past 10 days, i can tell you it has the values a lot. and, and they, they felt that, you know, that there was also, it was not able to rebuild the country, even though he proclaimed victory a few years back and took back territory from the opposition. all these people felt, i mean, we heard over the years, so much talk about refugees returning to syria and they must return. but people did not have the security guarantee to return someone from the you that i a was,

was an opposition stronghold. and for years it was under siege. this was a topic that the regime use the star people to bomb people into submission until they would surrender. and that yes, surrendered in 2016. and it's people like him who cannot, who are not able to go back home, and now they feel this is their chance to return a college. i'll just, there was a no hold of the it must now that's on the serial level and board as a no, thank you very much for talking us through just the feelings and the emotion with which i tend to running high of people that as the expect to go back home too, sir, we have funding the full of the. i side, richie the spring in colorado shaw, he's a syrian political economist and also seen a fellow at the lines institute in washington dc. he joins us live from whittington and new zealand. remedies. interesting watching those pictures on the border of the, with st. ahold of just talking to people who are relieved off to 24 years of sides room, 13 years of civil war. let me just ask you 1st. what are your thoughts and feelings

about these events as you see them on folding survey and the opposition offensive has been quite extraordinary in terms of speed and depths of icons begin to tell you what i'm feeling and what other fellows serious are also feeling. i mean, it's been 54 years of the rule of a sense in this kingdom of silence people when they are attacked and you raise their voices in 2011. the, the response of this here and redeem was tanks on the streets, you know, random shootings of them. the number of people who fled the country because of this complex is nearly 8000006 of whom are refugees. another 6000000 were displaced in terms of these are, you're talking about half of the population being displace because of the conflict over 90 percent of the population living below the poverty line. and that's primarily thanks to the transitions and the violence of the separation of the

country was brought down to its needed just to the point that no one was actually willing to fight on the side of charlotte side. i mean, i think what happened recently is that you to a combination of factors. you have an army with their, the morale is just you, you can't really imagine how low it is because typically an officer is page $20.00 per month, you know. and then for, for all of those fighters, they just came to realize that they're just fighting for a dictator, but without an end inside someone who was not interested in anything but staying empower someone who was introducing himself as a savior of not only serious but also palestinians as the spearhead of resistance for palestine, that many people actually believed only to realize later on that he does not offer anything for palestinian resistance impacts. he would fight to sidestep the uranium

and push them out of the country recently. and that's what got them to believe that it's not worth saving him. let me just tell you what i believe actually happened over the past 10 days or so. i think it's quite simply that russia entered key and the u. s. have actually agreed to push the shuttle assets aside. they've been consistent. the whole thing to work with. i sat and i said, because they are keen on preserving state institutions, they do not want it. syria, that is like the rock after march 2003, they want institutions to, to stay functional. and because syria has suffered also from terrorism on the side of the opposition, they are more use for those terrorists to take over the state. so basically what happens is they've been trying to kind of the special asset to come to the negotiating table for many, many years. and he's just refusing to but refusing to give any concessions that i

think that's what triggered them to come to an agreement to just push him. yeah. and kind of new outlined. 3 a number of economic and financial worries, the country now faces and including, you know, the economy finance, secure, which is huge amounts of problems. what happens now in terms of governance and the return to any kind of democracy, the return to institutions that you just mentioned? well, maybe i can start from the 6th and point. so institutions, what we've seen is charlotte said has fled, no one knows where to yet. however, it has prime minister has actually issued a video on his own personal, that facebook page at pledging to continue to, to run state institutions from damascus. plates need to go to his office tomorrow and that he's willing to work with other factions towards that political settlement

. i think this is a very promising development. i think the opposition has also already asked you, you said at least some of the key figures, including some of the shudder they had on pay at the feet of shop. he also welcome to this. so are you saying it looks like at least for the part that was under the control officer and regina state institutions will be preserved. but there is. ready much uncertainty around this and what, what happens next? now, economically, i think it will be contingent on the kind of arrangement that will come through. there are many big questions. i think the biggest among them is what, what happened to the northeast. you know, the certain democratic forces which are backed by the united states, they continued to print patrol, i think around 25 percent of the, of the land. and they control the mineral resources, the main source of revenue for the stage before 2011. so it's not clear yet whether

they will come to the negotiating table or not, who is actually go negotiating to begin with, isn't entirely clear, but i think there's so much jubilation at the moment that people are refusing to contend with these big questions that we will have to says and consider very seriously in a couple of days at most. all right, so i kind of saw the survey and political economist, and i've seen a fellow at the new lines institute in washington, many times to joining us from wellington that in use. even this book at mazda post office is executive director of the syria emergency task force and joins us live from washington. d. c. a very good to have you with us on the program. and i understand you were born and raised in damascus. so what are your thoughts and emotions as even some fold on your tv screens about what's happening in your country? it's, it's indescribable. imagine already countless display civilians within syria, internally going back to their homes. there's been 0 new and displacement. i was

just checking in with my family in damascus, and you know, the only displacement has been of russia. you're on an asset. i am just incredibly proud that the syrian people without any outside for ford, not from the international community, not from the regional towers on their own, freed the country and the intelligence branches in prisons where the cesar photo showed us the worst crimes of the 21st century men, women, children, elderly, tortured to the imagined. they're seeing the light for the 1st time. some of them in that case. um, it is an indescribable feeling the entire world should be celebrating and not just the syrian people. yeah. and you know, we've been talking to our guests throughout the morning was they've outlined the number of economic financial worries, security wise. the country now faces including the governance, working state institutions. and of course, a ton of millions of people who fled 24 years of bush aside through what happens

next and, and what are your worries in terms of what happens now? you know, um, 1st of all, i think i, this is number one in terms of the p g issue in terms of the security issue in terms of, um you know, uh, even economic issues we, we had the worst case scenario. each of these things under the rule of, besides, i said bombing of hospitals, chemical weapons, i says, hes bull, you're on other terrorist groups and organizations and, you know, russia. so right now we know there won't be more if you see there won't be area of a bargain, a civilian right now. we know. forget to come home by now we know the not good trafficking kept it gone, trade is done. your on is out. now the challenges in the fears, honestly that i have are those of regional powers. the main now seeing that serious for you, okay. try to in any way, intervene in missouri and people's forcing their way forward for, for a safe,

stable country that belongs to the people and, and whose people now have self determination. but i love that to you because in the 15 years the serial learned a lot and because the syrian space themselves by themselves, they're not behold enough to america talk turkeys. okay. any country um, i think also the, the experience of governance under war. let me look at it live, getting bomb b, c's known you match area in a governance, you know, was probably one of the best, if not the best govern place and best to cannot make place out of all the different spheres of influence within syria, including was emailed areas, so i think for all syria in by economically and security wise in terms of returning to their home is definitely going to be way better. what i want to make sure that the syrians continue to work together as a form that can you representative democratic governments in the road to democracy

is not sure it's not easy, but we're on that path. and, and i hope the regional countries like the u. a e or others have learned their less than that. you know, that like they've been on the wrong horse. they've been on the parts and dictator who, you know, traffic drugs to their countries in russia and you're on into syria. they shouldn't fear the people up sir. yeah, because the people have, sir, your sycamore. ok once the ability to and that's the past there on most let me get one final thoughts from you because it is always easy, isn't it? in terms of any kind of a symmetrical conflict for opposition? forces to fight and liberate areas as we've seen across syria. but the opposition, of course, will need to unite to rebuild serial once the fighting stopped. that in itself is going to be a huge challenge much i wouldn't say so you want to use travelers back in the day, you know, back in 20142015 with the saudis were funding these guys. the name of the people

are funding these guys by the way, these are the same ones trying to stay. we're trying to dave as a deluxe minute. so that, that made it difficult for serious tonight because you had so many regional countries pumping money in weapons and i the all of these and to have people that were desperately trying to in their freedom. but in this little ration of syria, none of that happened. what happened or the syrians treat themselves by themselves . and because of that, as you see the operations, there's really not military operations command room that includes h t, s, and many other factions of different strides. some secular, but i'm in certain, some assignments, some conservative, some liberal working together, and then they liberated down, they added a number of fighters, they added in weapons. and this is a national project. and so the happiness of what's happening, the ability to free yourself, despite the fact that we've been begging the international community for so like to do it allowed them to do this. and they're not as divided. they're not divided at

all in in the maze or sort of roll up reading syria, bringing it back to its people. but even their different political philosophies are much more easily reconciled, importing and you syria because none of them, oh, any regional or country anything and they're all working for, sir. yes. so that's why i think in the continued unity of these, the rebel factions will, will, is the results of them being able to have done this on their own with no outside interference. and that remains the case. yeah, most, most off a little bit to get your thoughts and your analysis on this huge story coming out of syria as events unfold in your country. many times to have time was that's bringing. rachel said i isn't gas. the entity that's on the tucker border with syria. i'm so rest allows, we've been talking to all morning opposition fighters now. jubilant seems in the capital report, the president has fled. just bring this all together for us. right. so what have you been hearing that on the border as well for now?

so what do we see in that? syria that is the end of 54 years off aside most of the day and as these rules. now the position forces are officially in damascus. and they're taking over the control, however, they have not been getting into the state facilities, the government buildings, or the state app practices. and the reason for that is to secure a smooth transition. so not to lead to a child 6 that they don't think transition. so we have seen that the prime minister or sylvia, who is one of the top ranking. so government officials had been working with prison, showed us that and no saying that she's at home, she's still in charge and he has been communicating the, the opposition forces, and then the position has given him the guarantees that they will provide the

safety of the security for the disabled officials here and they're going to make sure that'd be that the transition is not going to because then also you say that she's ready to what would be in come in me that she's not with the government, but we think in coming leadership just minutes off to him, you ever heard the statements coming from the be there of the position, the the h t? yes, i'm at giovanni, saying that no quoting on his soldiers tubes and the fighters seem to not storm into this, the facilities, the buildings and this, these are practices, not the small the phase services, but to do that and to just keep that security of the people there be most people do not go off the people do not as based on the badge and the grievances that have taken place in the past. so let me look at this 2 statements is easy to see that that has already been a level of communication can and coordination between the government,

the officials. um the position that is no good actually taking the full control off the capital. so how we've started. so in november 27, the position led by the aged. yes. how does it tell me the chart formerly known as most of the world, which was affiliated with. okay, that so they were based in been the promise of you live in north them programs and it is bordering. try to connect with georgie as well. so november 27th. the is what position has thought of to initiate an expensive to be used to the 2nd largest city of all apple and the $200.00 level within the 2 days. and then these 2 days, they went further south and took over the fort largest city of the country. and then yesterday they took control of the 3rd largest from the city or both of the good of the country, the homes. and now they are taking over the capitals of the country. so no,

the only place that is still somehow because the government control stalled joseph, closer part of the country. right. so let me see statements coming from the prime minister and sir, every saw him on state cd unexpectedly that he hasn't yet the country. anyway, what's he been saying? well, the prime minister of the company is now is simply saying that the transition is going to be similar, which is quoting on people, not to be afraid not to be that much concerned because no just chat with the. just remember that this equal, with all of the position is happening off there to, to use of a dramatic, very below the civil war. we are talking about more than half a 1000000 people being killed and 87 percent of them directly by the out when city and government led by the shuttle a said and it's main supporters or i. so that is why there is dental really heidi

concerns that is the position that is now taking the control of the company will act based on the revenge is and which kind of transition is that going to be? so the prime minister of the company is saying that the position has communicated with us and has given us the guarantees that they are not going to go often people, they're not going to act based on the event. and they're not going to that they're going to be measurable and the people are safe and that they're not going to be somehow that somehow seemed a blog shed in the capital or the places that have seen. rather, he's talking about the kind of peaceful transition i've seen that to position now when words with the state i put out this is the over the place just to preserve the war there to make sure that that would be a similar transition. so that is not afford the did the state is good. that was in place since 2016 when the government forces via the heavy support or for

russia has not moved the east of our level. and physicians also fall level of food stamps just for the node that has been stated, screwed up, was in place since 2016 on a know that stated school 8 years has dramatically collapse with them all, most 10 days. the position has taken the control of the whole country now with the exception of the city of laptop here, which is the stronghold of the, the government. and also it is the birthplace of this dynasty. all right to right, so let me just get one last final questions before we go and then you'll the turkey syria border. how is that incorrect viewing events the in syria as they unfold? well, so far we have seen her repeatedly, the statements coming in from present the audible i'm of turkey and saying that she's supporting tried to run cutting, supporting the.