BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government appeared to have fallen early Sunday in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family after a lightning rebel offensive.

The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said President Bashar Assad had left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus after a remarkably swift advance across the country.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

    • guy@piefed.social
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      4 days ago

      The statements their leader have made seems promising. Cooperation with the UN, peaceful overhanding of power etc. But they stem from Al-Qaeda so let’s hope this doesn’t age like milk…

      • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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        3 days ago

        The statements their leader have made seems promising.

        He is making the right noises, but then again so did the Taliban when they took control of Afghanistan.

        • morrowind@lemmy.ml
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          3 days ago

          The taliban had no allies, resources or much established that was at stake, thus no real incentive to follow through. They were just testing the waters to see if the world actually cared that much about those things or it was just a lot of noise. Turns out they were right, no country reciprocated on their statements, and so they just went back to their old ways.

          HTS does actually have incentive to follow through here I think

    • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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      4 days ago

      Yeah, they’re saying all the right things right now but their past associations with al Qaeda and ISIS doesn’t bode well.

      • teslasaur@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Are they really saying the correct things?

        I’ve seen plenty of interviews where where they say that “God is great” on repeat. Thats not what you want to hear from your potential governing body.

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          4 days ago

          Can’t tell if this is edgy Atheism or Islamophobia.

          In the unlikely event you actually want to get out whichever bubble you’re in, that phrase is extremely common in that part of the world. It’s a nothing burger, calm down.

          • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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            4 days ago

            Theocratic rule, no matter which theology, never improves things for the citizens.

              • ArxCyberwolf@lemmy.ca
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                4 days ago

                When an country forces its citizens to follow a state-mandated religion or else face death or severe punishment, and enacts laws that severely limit its citizens’ freedom in the name of their chosen state religion, is it really considered “edgy” to be against it? I dunno, being against tyranny doesn’t sound like something exclusive to atheists. The tyranny being religious in nature doesn’t change that.

                • annHowe@lemmy.zip
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                  3 days ago

                  I think them using the term ‘edgy’ was just projection. It’s best to avoid taking the bait when trolls do their thing.

          • Cypher@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            Weird that part of the world is so dangerous for women, LGBTQ, atheists, Christians… anyone not Muslim…

            Im sure it has nothing to do with their minds being stuck in ‘repeat religious phrases non-stop’ mode.

          • Nerdulous@lemm.ee
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            4 days ago

            Yes it is a common phrase but how many governments honestly benefited from having a religious influence? It’s not phobic to be concerned that this new government will be created with any religious groups ideology as guidelines instead of foundational morals and freedoms at it’s core.

            • Jarix@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              To your point, removed hard r was a common phrase as well unfortunately is becoming more common again in the us.

              Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it should not be laid ro rest

          • teslasaur@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Religion as a base of government is shit, regardless of which make-belief you got bred with.

            I don’t like labels, cause they simplify an opinion you might hold. But i suppose i have some atheistic views, and that’s it.

    • Irremarkable@fedia.io
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      4 days ago

      Time will tell. What they’ve been saying is mostly good, but words are one thing, actions are another. All we can do is hope.