The reactions from Syrians since Assad’s downfall reflect the deep animosity that he engendered within the country. For more than 50 years, the Assad family ruled with an iron grip and frequently deployed Syria’s feared security forces to crush dissent.
Assad, who took power in 2000 following the death of his father, was known for his violent crackdowns on opposition over more than a decade of civil war in Syria. The U.S. and the United Nations have both blamed Assad for a chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds — and perhaps more than 1,000 people — in 2013. An international arrest warrant was issued against Assad last year after France’s top court accused him of complicity in war crimes during the civil war.
The swift rebel campaign started less than two weeks ago, when fighters launched a series of lightning offensives — first capturing the northern city of Aleppo and then advancing south toward the regime centers of power, as uprisings broke out in large swaths of the country.