solid and just to adjust the final thoughts to you. um, it's a, it's a broad, a geopolitical thing. all right, so damascus is full and it's the end of the us address even how does this oil change and you've touched on it briefly the how does it change the balance of power originally and how much of a major. busy is this to iran and its influence across the region? oh, it's a major blow or, you know, the, what was called a, she, i crescent and that's the allied governments with of 11 on where his bella was the dominant power. she writes outside and the lights of syria who are header dock. she writes a rock which of course is ruled by she writes anyone. and that those 4 countries in alliance could put pressure on israel, the access of resistance. and of course, this upset cindy powers throughout the middle east, both in the gulf countries and in turkey, who supported the rebels and tried to over throw the outside regime into this.

she crescent in half, now they have accomplished that task. but of course they are, the one in turkey are going to be the real winners here. and area one is going to be the new art trader in a syria that will be very dependent on turkey as it is for all of its arms and everything else. so that's going to of course, make sadie ravia and the golf arabs worried. there'll be a new, a new dynamic here. 11 on will be coming play because that's his bellows power. crumbles. the new government in damascus and the turks will look to us to, to help this. so need lebanese really consolidate their power and build up a new lebanese army that's dominated by the sydney of the sudden, the lebanese. so these are, there's going to be a lot of changes as the dust settles here, because damascus for the last 55 years has been ruled by

allah, wide, sweeping alive with the run. now it's going to be once again in the hands of sidney arabs, and it's going to be allied with turkey, kansas city governments in the mount and it both a gulf and the turkey are going to be buying for influence in damascus. and just allow this, elizabeth to get your thoughts on doing all of this on these big developing stories . joshua, great to talk to you. thank you very much. and the pleasure. what's the school and territory landscape has transformed in the space of little over a week. one of the most powerful figures dream uh, just the leader of hyatt tougher you. i'll show him. his name's evelyn mohammed. i'll gilani barbara and go for looks at his that means and what it could mean for the future. for syria. he's unmatched. as the man leading the charge of fights as in syria. but nicholas known about the album a hammered alto lani is no stranger to the position. though recommend over. he's

the leader of hyatt. sorry, it shows the came from n, as in 2016 when he announced the reprint in his group, i'm a jump out on the stress and it spits from. i'll kind of get the other his go to create what he said was an add to a shame front in syria, a phone in damascus. in 1982, i lost track gilani took a suit and then one he says, references family history of expulsion from the now pied girl and hides after the creation of israel and 2003 up to the us inflation of iraq. giovanni left syria joining alcala in iraq, which left to his subsequent arrest, and in 2011, to return to syria, as a 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.

but 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 for 40 years as good. that it might be that it to be a conk listed in which there is no event, but somebody that got caught in the southern offensive by opposition. spices in syria, quote, much of the world by surprise. and giovanni is now trying to send a message to allies of the syrian government that this time, things are different. the gamma, those in the same way it all can prime minister them how much he asked with any distance his country late keep from the water between it on and that agent we attempt to distance it ok from entering the new furnace. so what's happening in syria to learn how to do the wisdom off, cuz 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 proper and out to 0. what david de rushes professed at the national defense university. and for my pentagon, director of arabian peninsula affairs, he says the opposition group i out to relaunch. i'm like, she is just trying to present itself as a consumer tre pocket. even before you get to rebuilding sure, you have the challenge of coverage. serious. so the, the side regimes, the russians, the arrangements for years have tried to depict all of the opposition to our side as um, basically dash o or l k. the uh, so sunni se terrace and you recall back at the start of the war um, couldn't propose the counter terrorism alliance with the united states and tried to revive all the imagery from world war 2. and that was basically directed against i ash. but what we saw,

it was most of the syrian and russian effort was not against ash. it was against a groups like, uh, you know, is this one of those groups in the opposition of asher last side of it look, problems like are you to show you the issue we have now is that this group is very aware of that and they are going to great lengths to try to present themselves as being multiethnic, respectful of other religions. they appointed the archbishop of aleppo, is the term civil governor. they're trying to counter that narrative, they're engaging to actively show that that's not the case. but part of us, of strength has been that a lot of religious groups in syria, the allergies, the christians and the sheer believe that. so this is a sunni cell of did self as a group that will, you know, operate like gosh. and so as they move into areas that are not majority,

so it is quite possible that each ts will have problems in maintaining the speed of up ration and congress not just joining us here on alger 0. let's just remind you about developing story here. opposition forces have declared the end of president bush shaw la sides room, lot of 13 years of civil war earlier. the reuters news agency reported that the lead to the rule for 24 years. i've left a capital damascus. when a few years ago, rebel forces that amount straight into the capital, damascus, they also said they've taken over to cities airport. and the state tv building facility and prime minister says the government was ready to handle the power to any leadership chosen by the people that spring. and stephen soon, se that professor of politics, the university of san francisco, in the founding chapter, universities midland, studies to joins us live from san francisco speaking. good job you back with us. i mean, so i'll position fights as of and to damascus reports that i found himself inside the country. the situation was still unclear. whatever the case this ribbon

offensive has been extreme. you're right, but it's taking everybody by surprise. how was it happened to was how quickly dear, thank and i think largely because the people have the opportunity to, to advance. i mean they are, is name is always been very fragile and they were only able to defeat the rebels or the earlier phase of the civil war because of hezbollah, ground support, and the russian air support. as long as, along with the, a rainy and involvement to, to an extent. but certainly with the rush are distracted by ukraine and has below having on you're gone. this huge on side by israel, of those forces weren't really there to help. and the regime itself is much, much too weak. in many ways, this is more of a political, a collapse than the military defeat. and there are, there are hardly any pets battles in these uh, in, in the past week it was more like the rebels were advancing and the syrian army

just melted away toward their uniforms and, and fled. and so i get it as a reminder that no matter how many guns you may have and other weapons, no matter how much foreign support you have, if you're not legitimate in the eyes of your own people, you're not in last very long. yeah. and what about the 3 and the president himself? i mean, he had very few options available to him, but to see the country what, what his calculations do you think i use it as a prize as everybody else? and i think he had, had actually hope there in the army would have a stand in, in, in a level or in some of his or in homes and certainly in damascus. but it was clear that it wasn't going to happen, that apparently he had to straight to the airport and, and i think you could figure that was either that or he'd be hanging from a lamp post. i mean, seriously, yeah, this is a, i don't think there is much fire planning to this. i think a very just a very likely just had to feel. i figured he had to leave and he had to leave to.

and the terms of, in terms of the minutes of dynamic coming, this looks like a complete route for the serial. now me, they didn't seem to put up any kind of effective fight against opposition, forces, devout surprises, assemble. i don't really, i think that uh, you know, that there are some a lead unit. so within the syrian armed forces that are pretty loyal to the, you know, i thought perhaps some of them would put up a fight, but they're relatively small in terms of numbers. he was relying on reliant on a conscript to harvey, and these are people who aren't being paid well, who are living in a country with increasing poverty and rapid inflation, a corruption of severe corruption and not to mention the, the repression of the. i mean, these, there's, there's not a regime that these young man, so like fighting and dying for. and so, unless you have a solid of a military court that is willing to sacrifice before you, you're not going to, it's not last because basically, you know, they,

they figure that they the use of their fellow countryman, they didn't want to engage in this kind of conflict, and they then, so they decided that we're not going to fight. yes, people know what about syria is key allies, russia and iran. i mean there are reports that, you know, ron's proxy on group has blog pulled out that forces along the lebanese border and russia seems to be looking for a diplomatic upfront here. they effectively abandon the site, didn't they? thank you very much. so i mean there's a lot of involvement in syria was always a controversial even among many of his, of a lot of supporters and loving and elsewhere in the world. i mean, when they were defending their country from israeli assaults, they were heroes. but when they were go again, supporting aside and, and here's a massacre of the fellow arabs that was much less popular. and so it, did it always been that was something that divided has a blog on, on, on some level. but obviously a with the assaults, from this rule, the decapitation of their leadership. the fact the bombing didn't just hit has

bought positions and, and 11 and button. so, and, but in syria as well, including with some key uranian advisors and the like. they are really in no shape right now to, to put up a fight given the human mentor. and the revel seemed to have just the final thoughts. you steven, before you go, i mean, what about the us position here as we near the transition of power in washington? donald trump's, or what he come up and said, look, the u. s. should not be involved necessarily, and conflict. i think that's a pretty broad consensus actually about it in terms of actually the, the, the, the confidence going on right now of us obviously doesn't support aside, but it also has alshaun on their terrorism. that's so great. now they're just kind of sitting back and was watching. i think the concern is what's going to happen in terms of the american military presence. so in an eastern, you know, syria of both the, the bases down near the jordanian in iraqi border. but also some of those up in the

curtis regions. i mean it's possible that trump might, in as a favor to or the one in turkey basically abandoned the that occurred to the, to their fate under, under a turkish assault. but at the same time, obviously there is some interest as having some presence to that to counter a isis as a try and take advantage of the situation. all right, test savings if necessary, professor politics at university of san francisco stephen many times for your time . thank you for talking to us turning point in the last few minutes. the serial position has made this announcement on syrian state tv. the, the, the city of damascus has been liberated the tyrant. the sharla side has been talking. all the prisoners have been released from the prison of damascus. we wish that all our fighters and citizens preserve and maintain the property of the state of syria. long live syria mahogany as a resident of damascus, he joined us by phone earlier to share what he's been witnessing on the ground to

my company. here in damascus, i'm in looking, i've been in st. and 1st of all, we started to hear a bomb being and a lot of phone being shooting lotus, or making sure thing that those are fighting with what, what's left of a factory gene. so many power trying to enter the north. and the house indeed entered the most wonderful they entered a for one in the country, a one in the city in damascus. every one to one of laws that god is the day this god is great. they are announcing the victory over. ready shudder effect. they are announcing the community this historical ugly period of time that we've, we've. ready we've all met. so after the 15 or 14

years just came in a few weeks time to any respond. julians live jillions for the resolution . the prisoners didn't give us in the, in the beginning, in the beginning of the pollution, they said you either have a fit for improvement on we the bernie. now the pictures of the sugar is burning, aggravating, damascus and interior. and we can be reached on everyone in the streets shouting of the loans along the freedom freedom. we are here in the slogans on the north further. because logan nope, i geology is nothing just 2 words. ready one is along the book is great. the other one is freedom. freedom. we've got our freedom from the show that i said

everyone is shouting right now. i'm hearing chaudry. i'm doing now. i'm hearing children in my neighborhood and stayed in for you them for you to that they were raised in c and in war and been in a very ugly white. i've had to tossed in. now here we stand on to here. he goes by farm and it says i'm caught to us saudi arabia, jordan, egypt, iraq, iran took here and russia. i've issued a joint statement on the situation in syria, often meeting in dough ha, the statement read. the continuation of the syrian crisis constitutes a dangerous development for the safety of the country and regional security, which requires all parties to seek a political solution to the syrian prizes that leads to an end of ministry operations and to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of syria, but according to the statement, the 5 ministers agreed on the importance of strengthening joints. international

efforts to increase humanitarian aid to the serial. people. administered stress, the need to stop military operations in preparation for launching a comprehensive political process with russian and 5 minutes or so. the alarm problem refused to onset when asked if he thought so right now, meet with successfully was this the bonuses of siri and fighters militarily? of russia, phelps, the syrian, i mean, we use the air force which is base, it may mean, and we failed this year and i need to go into the depths of stairs for what use the forecast. i cannot use them, nothing. the business of guessing we agreed today was around and talked to you to issue a strong calls which i described. and we would be doing some specific steps to make sure that this call is heated to what syrians are on the world up and

gathering to celebrate the opposition's advances in the homes. these were the scenes and the norwegian capital of the syrians gathered waving flags associated with empty assets forces. in istanbul, the fi works and are breaking the capture of homes. the un says now at least $3000000.00 registered syrian refugees into kia, also celebrations and 11 on an in germany, which both have large serbian populations. without them come into the form of diplomats and form a pentagon official, he says that silly as allies don't appear to want to get involved in determining the key thing that happened yesterday from a strategic standpoint. the fact that russia and iran diplomatically, at least in public, stated that they're looking for diplomatic solution. and there doesn't seem to be the rush of military equipment personnel from russian iran. i think those are very, very uh, those are the key signs that you can see from yesterday. that could be the last

indicative of the impending fall of damascus. what, what i mean now is so, so on, i was in a dean, the chief executive officer of modern the a serial lead civil society organization. um so, so i'm good to have you with us. i'm festival a. you'll see when you were born there and give us your thoughts on the events which i'm folded on, springs dramatically overnight. some of this has been happening for about a week. this revel offensive, but suddenly in the last 12 hours or so, everything change, what are your thoughts? everything has significantly changed. it's an overwhelming sense of joy. all of over new justice. the syrians are feeling everywhere around the world. i doubts. syrians have slept any minutes last night, including myself, all of my friends. it is indeed an overdue sense of, of justice for the serious people who have been wrong for the kids by the 3rd and regime. so today is a day for us to celebrate that were to amend this efforts until getting to this

very point. but it's also a day to mourn our loss of our loved ones that we've lost throughout the struggle and tomorrow. it's a new beginning tomorrow. we have to get back to work because we have a states the will. absolutely. i know they were talking to some very emotional syrians on the lebanese theory and buddha. what are these events being to you personally? so i've left here at 10 years ago. exactly 10 years ago after being and so many demonstrations and it is definitely the beginning of i change for me, i can finally see myself going back and doing what i've been doing for the past 10 years. but from inside syria, as i said, we do have a state to bill today. mike's only the beginning of the the south region is over, but we still need to build the state of citizenship, a state that does not get reassurance for my ne, but actually it states that the grands citizenship rights to everyone. and that's a very hard job to do that needs that for itself,

everything gets serious and not the 24 years of bus out its rules, 13 years of civil war. i mean, how relieved up people particular the millions of syrians who fled all over the world in terms of trying to get away from the civil war, etc. as i said, it's definitely the beginning of, of a brighter future. if we put our efforts into that, it's time for us, syrians to wake us about the future is bright ahead of us it's, it's finally justice, but it's a very long for us to actually have accountability in place. but in state institutions and ensure that the states, i pulled some sense of pride to everyone. and you'll the chief executive officer of modern, the that's the serial lead civil society organization. how do you see the group fixing in? what would you be doing with your group be doing into the new syria media as an umbrella organization of over $200.00 students have

a society organizations operating in every region inside syria and, and the desperado, including organizations who have operated in redeem health areas during the time of a sub indeed, it's time now to ensure that states as the pollutions are functional, we service aside. so you have taken on different drawers to fill in the vacuum. and after the withdrawal, one of the sides resumed from certain areas. it's time that we reclaim our traditional role as to the society now to hold whatever governments comes into place, accountable to us, to the syrian people. and to ensure that the states represent the values that we did for 14 years ago in 2011. how, how important um, so sound is the issue of governance and, and i guess the re and position of effective state institutions and give us some examples of what needs to be reinstated to work properly. it's, it's fundamentally important. it is the only guarantor for

a peaceful transition and this very i, chris, it goes time of our lives. we have a safety issue is we have health issues. we have um, the service provision across all sectors. all of this needs tremendous efforts. it's fundamental that we work through the existing states as the solution. we are hopeful that the, the, the, the process of the transition will actually maintain the state, the institutions. this is what we've seen so far. the start of the problem. it says the locals guides the local communities and participation, and it's absolutely fundamental. all of this is our only guarantor that order wouldn't be maintained that the creation of inclusive practice about 3. so the civic governance and every reason and every locality inside syria. and so there is an inclusive governance, but do that's good drawing on the national scale. yeah. and you, you're talking about mountain the a, working outside of the country and inside the country. yeah. well,

what we're doing outside the country, we were trying to assert our rightful drawings to shave. the scouts are of syria, our not being was more likely to ensure that there is a political transition according to security. it comes in resolution to to $54.00. but we still have to work on on. we are now entering the day after, and there's a lot to do when it comes to the day after. this is what we've been doing outside the country. while our member organizations inside the country has done a variety of work from service provision and a provision all the way to accountability justice. but also working on human rights issue was an empowerment of the people in need. so. so it's been frustrating and told me to look at the final thoughts from you before you go. i mean, many of i guess this morning i've been talking just about the opposition. how

important does it in terms of the need for them to unite, to have up to rebuild syria so that organizations like yours can work effectively? it's absolutely fundamental. and if we are to secure the state of citizenship that we want, it needs to be inclusive. it needs to accounts for the rights and needs of all the communities inside syria. as i said, it's not a matter of giving reassurance as of people. it's a matter of making sure that we build a state that oppose citizen surprise to everyone. and that needs to engage every single syrian with the participation of civil society, civic actors, local communities, and every single region from the east to the west, from the south to the north, south on elbows. and it has been really frustrating talking to yourself. so like when you get back to syria, thank you very much. all right, well i'm gonna send you a text on the back of the bus all sides. use impala. there was hope for political

change in syria when but showed a subs inherited power in 2000 after the death of his father help is. but apart from some economic reforms, he differed little from his father's 30 year, tougher, worldly. the young as said, wasn't originally meant to take power. he was starting to become an eye doctor in london when he was recalled after the death of his older brother best. the parliament had to lower the age for presidential candidates from 40 to 34. so that he could be eligible for office a decade later, he faced his 1st real challenge. in march 2011, people took to the streets, demanding democracy. the president dismissed the rebellion and called little foreign conspiracy. as it was also the head of the only legal party in syria, the bat, and commander in chief of the armed forces. his response was

a heavy crack down on protesters which brought even more syrians to the streets, eventually triggering a civil war. as it did have some public support, particularly from the minority l. whites, a sect which his family is part of. the syrian liter repeatedly dismissed his opponents calling them terrorists, why bottle? i'm not sure don't fit in what you are facing is not a political problem. it's a conspiracy until the orders and the political reform process continues to move forwards, yet terrorism is not going down. as the war dragged on, it was the backing of allies, russia, and date on which provided political and military support that allowed a said to recapture territory and hold onto power. shows that the. okay, cool for them. what is government was unable to regain legitimacy in the eyes of much of the international community. in the shadow of war,

he held the elections in government control territories that were dismissed by many as on democratic and dislike, never winning the war. he survived. but with a narrow support base and with only partial control of the country, the syrian leader was always uncompromising and defiant and ignored you and lead political process to bring about a democratic transition. this one, seen as a reformist, a said stands accused of using chemical weapons against his own people. his government was responsible for killing and imprisoning thousands, displacing millions and for starving, those who lived in besieged area is controlled by the rebels for city is you wouldn't always be remember, as the president to exhibit is very low leadership. he's the one to actually who destroyed his country, displayed his own people,

and she's not on the law is who appealed at entire elections in 2021. said 17 more years in power in 2023. after more than 12 years of conflict as a was welcome back into the era bleak by the same error states that once john tim, but the situation on the ground remain the same. syrians who were hoping for a new beginning were still living in economic collapse and humanitarian crisis. and in late 2024, the long stagnant war came a ring back with the rapid advances, all physician fighters quickly took control of several major cities at a time when, as its allies were busy with their own conflicts elsewhere, but showed a said, we've the country in ruins and millions of syrians wondering what's next for this

ancient nation. now, syrian officers and fight as of announced on state television that the rule of president bush aside has come to an end of the 13 years of civil war. come just hours off to fight as enter the capital one took over the city's airport and the state to the building. layoff and there's no set aside. have left the capital damascus. he was president of syria for 24 years, and his family has been in pilot since the early 19 seventy's in the last haul file of the opposition voted cost the 1st statement to syrians on state tv. the, the, the city of damascus has been liberated the tyrant, the shar alyssa has been talking. all the prisoners have been released from the prison of damascus. we wish that all our fighters and citizens preserve and maintain the property of the state of syria. long live syria. well moments with.