The collapse of the Syrian army has been swift, decisive and astonishing, but not without precedent in the Middle East and beyond. In just 12 days, the country has gone from what appeared to be an enduring status quo to the total collapse of the Al Assad dynasty.
So, why was a country whose army appeared to have a strong grip over the areas it controlled routed?
While there are strong and recent historical parallels, there is also the unique context of 2024 in which the region has seen seismic events that will shape it for many years to come. Following a decade of civil war, President Bashar Al Assad had become entirely reliant on three foreign allies to prop up his government.
Iran, Russia and Hezbollah have been almost entirely absent during the long week in which the rebels, largely led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, have stormed through the country. The absence of leadership from the commander in chief also proved significant, with Mr Al Assad failing to make any appearance or attempt to bolster morale, bar offering a 50 per cent army pay rise.
Moscow muted
While there were a few sorties by Russian warplanes, with some bombs dropped on the advancing rebels, they lacked the precision or force to halt them. The contagion of defeat that clearly gripped the Syrian army infected Moscow’s troops, whose ruthless military approach had for so long kept Mr Assad in office, leading them to decamp their sophisticated air defence systems and leave.
The Russia fleet appears to have fled its leased port of Tartus, either sailing to Libya or back to the motherland, where the war in Ukraine is demonstrably the Kremlin’s priority. The coming period will reveal how much reputational damage Syria has done to Russia’s standing in the Middle East and also if it impacts on its "Africa Corps" operating in the Sahel.
Iran runs away
The Syrian collapse will certainly lead to the diminished status of Iran and its once revered Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Instead of intervening to support the Al Assad regime, Iran ordered the emergency evacuation of its military and diplomatic staff from Damascus over the past week. Those officers had previously stiffened the sinew of the Syrian army and their absence in the last week has been conspicuous.
Like Moscow, and on a more dangerous scale for its rulers, Tehran has suffered yet another reputational blow. The repercussions of that could well prove significant after the deeply unpopular regime suffered continuous setbacks this year that might threaten its future.
Hezbollah absent
In the triangle of support for Syria, it has been the evisceration of its key ally Hezbollah that has come after two intense months of fighting the formidable Israeli military that has left it in a state of inertia. It was from 2011 that Hezbollah played and key role in training the Syria army and providing it with troops to take back or hold territory. But the once formidable military force has been denuded both of its leadership and foot soldiers from the Israeli war, leaving Syria near defenceless.
On paper, the Syrian army should have been able to hold its own with its hundreds of tanks, artillery and missiles. Yet, it appears to resemble the Iraqi army of 2014 that was marked by corruption and absence, where officers sent soldiers home on furlough but still took their pay leaving battalions so weakened that they were unable to halt the ISIS advance that took Mosul and then Tikrit.
On that occasion, the Baghdad government was largely saved from collapse by the intervention of precise heavy bombing from the US warplanes and special forces.
Lightning advances
Even the US and Nato-trained armies have proven to be vulnerable to the advances of motivated and disciplined adversaries. Despite the billions of dollars in advanced US equipment given to the Afghan army, and two decades of training, there was little will or strong leadership to prevent the Taliban takeover in just ten days in 2021 after the Americans suddenly pulled out.
Leadership is critical when armies come under pressure and soldiers need faith in the officers giving them commands that could lead to their death. Stalin’s purges of the Red Army meant there were very few experienced officers left to defend against the lightning Nazi Germany offensive of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, that left millions dead or captured until the invaders were halted just outside Moscow.
A year later, Britain too suffered its heaviest military defeat, when a smaller Japanese force of 30,000 stormed through Singapore in just eight days, capturing 85,000 soldiers.
Those were seismic events that shaped world politics, as undoubtedly the Syria army’s defeat will do in December 2024, proving that the unfolding drama of Hamas’ October 7 attack will continue to run.
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Stage result
1. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 3:29.09
2. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto-Soudal
3. Rudy Barbier (FRA) Israel Start-Up Nation
4. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Luka Mezgec (SLO) Mitchelton-Scott
6. Alberto Dainese (ITA) Sunweb
7. Jakub Mareczko (ITA) CCC
8. Max Walscheid (GER) NTT
9. José Rojas (ESP) Movistar
10. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Score
Third Test, Day 2
New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)
Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings
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Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAyan%20Mukerji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Alia%20Bhatt%20and%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clinicy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Prince%20Mohammed%20Bin%20Abdulrahman%2C%20Abdullah%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%20and%20Saud%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Riyadh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2025%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20More%20than%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Gate%20Capital%2C%20Kafou%20Group%20and%20Fadeed%20Investment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
England 241-3 (20 ovs)
Malan 130 no, Morgan 91
New Zealand 165 all out (16.5ovs)
Southee 39, Parkinson 4-47
England win by 76 runs
Series level at 2-2
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Kibsons%20Cares
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Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.