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Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on 8 December 2024, Syria has witnessed the end of nearly half a century of autocratic rule of the Assad family. The Assad regime was driven by corruption, bloodshed, and a callous disdain for the lives of Syrians, resulting death of more than half a million anddisplacing millions more. The sudden overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and the replacement of the Islamist-led transitional government have created both the seed of hope and a road full of uncertainty and challenges. 

The Assad regime began with seizing control and presidencyby Hafezal-Assad in 1970 from a Baathist military junta.His presidency was known for its atrocity and brutality towards the regime'sopponents. After the death of Hafez al-Assad in 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad succeeded as unopposed president of Syria. However, the autocratic nature of the Assad family remained unchanged, exacerbating political exclusion of other political parties and causing more socio-economic problems. In March 2011, with the influence of the wider Arab Spring of this region as well as the longstanding discontent with President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrians embarked onlarge-scaleprotests and pro-democracy rallies against the president. In response, Bashar al-Assad launched violent suppression and a deadly crackdown against the protesters, resulting death of nearly ten thousand people. The brutal attack of the Assad regime has turned the protest into a full-blown civil war, with the creation of several resistance militias across the country in 2012.

The Syrian civil war also involved other countries and foreign actors directly. Iran and Russia supported the Assad government as longtime allies. Whereas, the US and Turkey have acted as foreign backers of the opposition forces, by providing training, arms, logistical and military supportto the rebel fighters. The war had been fought across Syria from 2011 to 2024 between the rebel groups and the coalition group of the Assad government, its allies, and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

After seizing and losing several territories for 13 years, in late 2024, one of the rebel groups and the former al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a rapid attack and seized major cities of Syria, including Damascus. Meanwhile, President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow on 8 December 2024, which ensured the demise of the 24-year autocratic rule of Assad.

The end of the Assad regime has created a mixed feeling of uncertainty and hope. While most of the Syrian population and international observers have expressed overwhelming joy and relief, as well as celebrating a new beginning of autocracy-free Syria,others are concerned about the uncertainties and potentialHay'at Tahrir al-Sham(HTS)regime. Mostspecifically, the Western and the liberals are worried about the possibility of the establishment of the Islamist government and the rise of other terrorist groups,includingIslamic State (IS). 

The de facto leader (also the leader of HTS) of Syria, Ahmed al- Shaara,has claimed that the HTS was not a terrorist group and currently has no affiliation with the IS. He also said that Syria is not a threat to the world and will ensure the freedom and basic human rights of its citizens. Although many people have doubts about the abandonment of their old jihadist ideology and the danger of IS resurgence, most Syrians have dreamt of stability,prosperity, and basic human rights. Millions of Syrian refugees have expressed joy and dreamed of returning to their homeland. Syria faces security threats from the Islamic State and pro-Assad groups. The IS claimed to launch 33 attacks in 2025, and significant casualties in western regionshave been carried out by the pro-Assad groups. Moreover, Syria is also suffering from food insecurity and a lack of humanitarian assistance. According to UN estimates, 16.7 million people in Syria need humanitarian aid, and more than half of the country's population is food insecure. In May 2025, US President Donald Trump lifted all sanctions on Syria, but continued relief depends on the Syrian government's actions, including preventing extremist resurgence, protecting human rights, and avoiding collaboration with sanctioned entities.Following the US’s action, the EU and other Arab leaders are also planning to lift the sanctions for supporting Syria's reconstruction and development. However, the US Secretary of State,Marco Rubio warned that Syria could be "weeks away from collapse and full-scale civil war," underscoring the fragility of the situation. 

The future of Syria is extremely unpredictable, containing a lot of challenges and possibilities. The end of 13 the old civil war has opened a new door for Syria, either to delve into more crisis or shape its prosperous future. The political landscape of Syria now largely depends on its new transitional government and how itacts to solve domestic issues and the way itapproachesdiplomacywith other countries. Syria's reconstruction and political change are being cautiously supported by foreign actors, but the country is still susceptible to internal strife, regional meddling, and the rise of extremists. Standing at the crossroad, Syria holds several risk factors, including sectarian grievances resuming civil war, transitional justice failure, public mistrust, and excessive foreign donor reliance, potentially jeopardizing sovereignty and causing reform delays. Yet there are also numerous opportunities to look ahead; the establishment ofinclusive governance, reconstruction partnerships through multilateral mechanisms, and security sector reform are the key opportunities for long-term peace, infrastructure development, and stabilization in the country.The world is now observing which way Syria choosesafter the fall of the autocratic rule of the Assad regime. 

Zarin Tasnim Khan is an MSS Student in International Relations at Jahangirnagar University.

Disclaimer: Views in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect CGS policy.