Published December 12, 2024last updated December 12, 2024The tomb of Hafez Assad, the father and predecesesor of Syria’s ousted President Bashar Assad, has been set on fire in his hometown. DW has the latest.
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Syria’s late president Hafez Assad ruled the country for 25 yearsImage: Aaref Watad/AFP/Getty ImagesSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know Rebel fighters and locals set fire to the tomb of Syria’s former President Hafez Assad in Qardaha Top US diplomat Antony Blinken is due to arrive in Jordan for talks on Syria’s transition to a new government Mohammed al-Bashir has taken over as Syria’s caretaker prime minister Al-Bashir was head of the regional government of rebel group HTS based in Idlib HTS is classified as a terrorist organization by US and regional power broker Turkey Here are the latest developments from and regarding Syria on Thursday, December 12:
Skip next section US Secretary of State Blinken to visit Jordan, TurkeyDecember 12, 2024
US Secretary of State Blinken to visit Jordan, TurkeyWashington’s top diplomat Antony Blinken is headed to the Middle East on Thursday, making stops in both Jordan and Turkey.
He is set to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in the port of Aqaba before heading to Ankara on Friday for talks with Turkish officials.
The talks are expected to focus on the situation in Syria. In a statement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that Blinken “will reiterate the United States’ support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government.”
Turkey has in particular a vested interest in the outcome of the conflict in Syria, as the two share a wide border and Turkey is sheltering millions of Syrian refugees. Moreover, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long stood in opposition to the Assad regime.
The Jordanian government had also opposed Assad, participating in the American-led intervention in Syria with fighter jets.
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Skip next section Hafez Assad’s tomb stormedDecember 12, 2024
Hafez Assad’s tomb stormedThe mausoleum of Hafez Assad, who ruled Syria for decades before his death and succession by his son Bashar Assad in 2000, was stormed and set on fire in his hometown of Qardaha, according to footage verified by reporters.
A vast, elevated structure with intricate architecture and ornamentation, it was located in the Latakia region, the heartland of the Assad’s Alawite community.
Videos showed rebel fighters and young locals watching it burn.
The elder Assad took power in the second half of the 20th century by participating in multiple coups following Syria’s independence from France.
His elder son, Bassel, was initially being groomed to take over from his father, but he died in a car accident in 1994.
Bashar took power when Hafez died in June 2000.
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Skip next section What is happening in Syria?December 12, 2024
What is happening in Syria?After years of frozen conflict between the government forces of Bashar Assad, whose family had ruled Syria for 54 years, Islamist rebels and their allies went on a lighting offensive to capture Aleppo, Homs and the capital, Damascus, over the weekend.
Assad and his family have fled to Russia, where they were granted political asylum. Russia, as well as Iran, were major backers of Assad since the civil war began in 2011.
The rebel group now in charge of Syria’s interim government is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Originally an offshoot of al-Qaeda, they have tried to soften their image in recent years and have promised to respect religious minorities.
Mohammed al-Bashir, who headed the rebels’ “Salvation government” in their northwestern stronghold of Idlib, has been named interim prime minister. He has said he will stay in power during a transition period to last until March 2025.
Since Assad’s ouster, Israel has stepped up its bombing campaign of a region inside Syrian territory on the Israeli border. The territory has been contested by Israel for decades. The Israeli military has denied claims it has pushed further in Syria than the demilitarized buffer zone.
es/rm (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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