Alone against a renewed insurgency, Assad may face the end of his rule without his strongest allies
The last time Syrian President Bashar Assad was in serious trouble was 10 years ago
BEIRUT (AP) — The last time Syrian President Bashar Assad was in serious trouble was 10 years ago, at the height of the country’s civil war, when his forces lost control over parts of the largest city, Aleppo, and his opponents were closing in on the capital, Damascus.
Back then, he was rescued by his chief international backer, Russia, and longtime regional ally Iran, which along with Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militia helped Assad's forces retake Aleppo, tipping the war firmly in his favor.
Now, the Syrian leader appears to be largely on his own and may face the end of his 24-year rule.
A Syrian opposition war monitor said Assad left the country on a flight from Damascus early Sunday as opposition fighters said they entered the capital in a swiftly developing crisis for Assad. The insurgency's shock offensive in recent days quickly captured Aleppo and other key cities across the country's northwest and in the south.
