President Joe Biden said the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a moment of “historic opportunity” for the Syrian people after they suffered for more than 50 years under a totalitarian regime led by Assad and his father.
But the U.S. is also keeping a close watch on rebel groups as they assume power, and the U.S. military is continuing its fight against ISIS in Eastern Syria, Biden said during a press conference in the White House on Sunday.
“It would be a waste of this historic opportunity if one tyrant were toppled, only to see a new one rise up in this place,” he said.
The U.S. conducted airstrikes against ISIS operatives and camps on Sunday to keep them from gaining a larger foothold in the country, Biden said. The Pentagon says there are 900 U.S. troops in Syria whose mission is to defeat ISIS.
“We’re clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its capabilities to create a safe haven. We will not let that happen,” Biden said.
Biden also said as rebel groups organize to assume control of Syria, they must “demonstrate their commitment to the rights of all Syrians, to the rule of law and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities.”
Christian groups in Syria have expressed concern for their safety in recent days as it became clear rebel groups had gained the upper hand in the long-running civil war.
Bashar al-Assad flees Syria, granted asylum in Russia
The Russian state media said Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow, where he was granted asylum, according to the BBC. Assad fled Damascus ahead of rebels overtaking the city on Sunday.
Assad counted Russia and Iran as close allies during his rule, but in recent days leaders in both countries signaled they wouldn’t intervene as rebels took city after city, eventually entering Damascus on Saturday, early Sunday local time, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A civil war has raged in Syria for more than 13 years, starting in March 2011. It was put down by al-Assad, at times brutally, as he relied on allies Russia and Iran for help and support.
Biden credited his administration’s approach of sanctions, support for Israel and pressure on Iranian proxies with helping to end Assad’s reign.
“For years, the main backers of Assad have been Iran, Hezbollah and Russia. But over the last week, their support collapsed, all three of them, because all three of them are far weaker today than they were when I took office,” he said.
Biden said Iran’s decision to launch an attack on Israel through its proxies in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, was a “historic mistake” on Iran’s part, as it weakened the regime. Russia was also weakened by its invasion of Ukraine, he said.
“The upshot for all this is for the first time ever neither Russia nor Iran nor Hezbollah could defend this abhorrent regime in Syria,” Biden said.
He struck a hopeful note about the future of Syria, and said the U.S. would provide aid to assist in rebuilding the country. The U.S. will also provide assistance to Syria’s neighbors, including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel, in case the destabilization in Syria poses a regional threat.
Who controls Syria now?
Abu-Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, gave a speech Sunday, where he said the end of the Assad regime was a “victory for the entire Islamic nation,” CNN reported.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, is an offshoot of al Qaeda, and is one of several rebel groups that fought the Assad regime in Syria. HTS is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other countries, according to the BBC.
Other rebel groups, according to CNN, include the Syrian National Army, the National Liberation Front, the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Democratic Forces, which reportedly has ties to Kurdish groups.
The U.S. will assist with the transition in Syria through a process led by the United Nations, to establish an “independent and sovereign” nation, Biden said.
Biden said he is aware that some of the rebel groups who toppled the regime have a “grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses.”
Biden says U.S. captive Austin Tice believed to be alive
Freelance journalist Austin Tice was taken captive in Syria more than 12 years ago. Biden said he believes Tice is still alive.
“We remain committed to returning him to his family,” Biden said.
In response to questions from the media, Biden said they don’t have a clear location on where Tice is being held, but added, “we think we can get him back.”
The FBI is offering up to a $1 million reward for his safe return.