WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden stated Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian authorities beneath Bashar Assad is a “elementary act of justice” after many years of repression, however it was “a second of danger and uncertainty” for the Mideast.
Biden spoke on the White House hours after insurgent teams accomplished a takeover of the nation following greater than a dozen years of violent civil conflict and many years of management by Assad and his household. Biden stated the United States was not sure of Assad’s whereabouts, however was monitoring experiences he was looking for refuge in Moscow.
The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump have been working to make sense of latest threats and alternatives throughout the Middle East.
Biden credited motion by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers — Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. He stated “for the primary time” that they may not defend Assad’s grip on energy.
“Our method has shifted the steadiness of energy within the Middle East,” Biden stated, after a gathering along with his nationwide safety staff.
Trump stated Sunday that Assad had fled his nation as a result of shut ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not involved in defending him any longer.”
Those feedback on Trump’s social media platform got here a day after he used one other submit to decry the potential of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to help the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.” The Biden administration stated it had no intention of intervening.
The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria, together with forces working with Kurdish allies within the opposition-held northeast to forestall any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden stated he meant for these troops to stay, including that U.S. forces on Sunday performed “dozens” of what he known as “precision air strikes” on Islamic State camps and operations in Syria.
“We’re clear-eyed about the truth that ISIS will attempt to reap the benefits of any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a protected haven,” Biden stated, utilizing a special acronym for the group. “We is not going to let that occur.”
The Syrian opposition that introduced down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the U.S. says is a terrorist group with hyperlinks to al-Qaida, though the group says it has since damaged ties with al-Qaida.
“We will stay vigilant,” Biden stated. “Make no mistake, a few of the insurgent teams that took down Assad have their very own grim document of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the teams are “saying the precise issues now.”
“But as they tackle larger accountability, we’ll assess not simply their phrases, however their actions,” Biden stated.
Assad’s fall provides to an already tense scenario all through a lot of the area on many fronts, together with Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Trump, who takes workplace on Jan. 20, 2025, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, noting that Assad’s allies in Moscow, in addition to in Iran, the principle sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state proper now.”
Vice President-elect JD Vance, a veteran of the U.S.-led conflict in Iraq, wrote on personal social media Sunday to precise skepticism in regards to the insurgents.
“Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will inform,” he stated, utilizing one other acronym for the group.
Trump has urged that Assad’s ouster can advance the prospects for an finish to combating in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
The president-elect wrote that Putin’s authorities “misplaced all curiosity in Syria due to Ukraine” and the Republican known as for a direct cease-fire, a day after assembly in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders.
Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of protection for the Middle East, stated the American army presence will proceed in jap Syria however was “solely to make sure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with different facets of this battle.”
“We name on all events in Syria to guard civilians, notably these from Syria’s minority communities to respect worldwide army norms and to work to realize a decision to incorporate the political settlement,” Shapiro stated.
“Multiple actors on this battle have a horrible monitor document together with Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement, and the atrocities of ISIS,” he added.
Shapiro, nevertheless, was cautious to not straight say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents.
“If confirmed, nobody ought to shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he stated.
As they pushed towards the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from authorities prisons. The household of lacking U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to seek out him.
“To everybody in Syria that hears this, please remind people who we’re ready for Austin,” Tice’s mom, Debra, stated in feedback that hostage advocacy teams unfold on social media. “We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be pretty dazed & he’s going to wish numerous care & path. Direct him to his household please!”
Tice disappeared in 2012 outdoors Damascus, amid intensification of what grew to become a civil conflict stretching greater than a decade.
“We’ve remained dedicated to returning him to his household,” Biden stated on the White House. “We consider he’s alive, we expect we will get him again however we’ve got no direct proof to that but. And Assad needs to be held accountable.”
The president added: “We should determine the place he’s.”
The U.S. has no new proof that Tice is alive however continues to function beneath the idea that he’s, based on a U.S. official. The official, who was not approved to remark publicly, added that the U.S. will proceed to work to determine Tice’s whereabouts and to attempt to convey him dwelling.
