In the hometown of the family, Syrian opposition forces demolished the grave of late President Hafez al-Assad, the father of the overthrown President Bashar. Videos showed armed men chanting as they went around the burning mausoleum in Qardaha, in the northwest of the coastal Latakia region. The rebels, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), surged across Syria in a rapid offensive, toppling the Assad dynasty after 54 years in power. Bashar al-Assad escaped to Russia, where he and his family were granted shelter. Statues and posters of Hafez and his son have been demolished across the country, prompting shouts from Syrians commemorating the end of their reign.
He grew up in a family of Alawites, a Shia Muslim sect and a religious minority in Syria, whose primary population center is in the province of Latakia, which is close to the Mediterranean coast and the Turkish border. Many Alawites, who account for roughly 10% of the country's population, were loyal supporters of the Assads during their lengthy reign in power. Some of them now fear they may be targeted by the victorious rebels. According to Reuters, a rebel team led by HTS and another Sunni Muslim group, the Free Syrian Army, met with Qardaha elders on Monday and obtained their backing.
The US secretary stated that Washington would recognize and fully support a future Syrian government if it was formed via a genuine, inclusive process that respected minorities.HTS has appointed a transitional government led by Mohammed al-Bashir, the former leader of the rebel administration in the northwest, until March 2025. Bashir presided over a meeting in Damascus on Tuesday attended by members of his new government and Assad's former cabinet to discuss the transfer of responsibilities and institutions.
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