"After 13 years of civil war in Syria and more than half a century of brutal authoritarian rule by Bashar Assad and his father before him, rebel forces have forced Assad to resign and flee the country," Biden said. "We’re not sure where he is, but there’s word that he’s in Moscow. At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians."
While Biden celebrated the fall of Assad as a victory for Syria’s long-suffering people, he also cautioned that the region now faces "a moment of risk and uncertainty." The president stressed the importance of the United States working with partners and regional stakeholders to help guide Syria through the challenges that lie ahead.
"As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and stakeholders in Syria to help them manage the risks," Biden said. "For years, Assad’s main backers have been Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia, but over the last week, their support collapsed. All three of them are far weaker today than when I took office."
The fall of the Assad regime occurred after a swift offensive by rebel forces, which included the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), capturing key Syrian cities such as Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. The group, once linked to al-Qaeda, now controls much of the country, although it has promised to govern with tolerance for minorities in the areas under its control.
Biden expressed cautious optimism, noting that while HTS is saying the right things, the U.S. will be closely monitoring their actions in the coming days. "It would be a waste of this historic opportunity if one tyrant were toppled only to see a new one rise in his place," he said. "The opposition groups that seek a role in governing Syria must demonstrate their commitment to the rights of all Syrians, the rule of law, and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities."
While Assad’s departure marks a significant turning point, Biden emphasized that the former president should be held accountable for the suffering of the Syrian people. Assad’s exact whereabouts remain unclear, but Russian state media reported that he and his family have been granted asylum in Moscow on "humanitarian grounds."
Biden also mentioned the case of Austin Tice, a U.S. citizen who disappeared in Syria in 2012. Tice, a former U.S. Marine and freelance journalist, is believed by his family to still be alive in Syria. Biden vowed to continue efforts to locate Tice and bring him home, saying, "We believe he's alive. We think we can get him back. But we have no direct evidence of that yet, and Assad should be held accountable."
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