It’s been a week since rebel forces usurped Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and, over a decade after the resistance began, declared Syria a liberated nation. Last Sunday, opposition forces surged into the capital city of Damascus, forcing the dictator to flee the country and seek asylum in Russia. While the rebels would love nothing more than to get their hands on the tyrant who ruled their country for 24 years, they will have to be content with retaking the nation.

The Assad family has ruled the Arab nation for over half a century, with Bashar al-Assad 'inheriting' Syria from his father, Hafez al-Assad. This victory comes 14 years after the citizens rose up in peaceful protests, only to be met with violence that later escalated into a bloody civil war.

The first attack from the rebels came on the front lines between Idlib and Aleppo. Three days after the initial assault, the rebels took over Aleppo. The attack was led by various rebel forces, with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) at the forefront. HTS received support from some Turkish-based factions. Led by Abu Mohammed al-Julani, HTS is considered the largest and most well-organized rebel group and had controlled Idlib for years before launching this offensive.

The rebels moved swiftly, taking over the cities of Hama and Homs, the latter of which was dubbed the ‘Capital of the Revolution’ during the war’s early days. A couple of days later, the city of Deraa—seen as the birthplace of the uprising in 2011—slipped from Assad’s control. Following this, Syrian forces announced they would redeploy to the nearby province of Sweida, but this proved to be in vain.

Many were surprised at how quickly the Syrian government fell. The country had been struggling financially, sustained only by the illicit trade of the psychoactive drug Captagon.

As a result, al-Assad became widely unpopular, with citizens finding it increasingly difficult to survive. This discontent extended to his soldiers as well, the majority of whom gave up fighting for him. Reports surfaced of soldiers abandoning their posts and fleeing.

Militarily, the Assad forces were weak, relying heavily on support from Russia and Iran. But with Russia embroiled in its own war with Ukraine and Iran distracted by tensions with Israel, neither country was able to prop up the Syrian regime when the rebels launched their offensive.

Syrians are rejoicing everywhere, especially on the streets of Damascus and Homs. Images have surfaced of citizens toppling statues of Hafez al-Assad, and crowds have gathered in mosques and public squares to celebrate their newly won freedom.