WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden stated Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian authorities beneath Bashar Assad is a “basic act of justice” after a long time of repression, however it was “a second of danger and uncertainty” for the Mideast.
Biden spoke on the White House hours after after insurgent teams accomplished a takeover of the nation following greater than a dozen years of violent civil struggle and a long time of management by Assad and his household. Biden stated the United States was not sure of Assad’s whereabouts, however was monitoring stories he was looking for refuge in Moscow.
The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump had 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 might not defend Assad’s grip on energy.
“Our method has shifted the stability of energy within the Middle East,” Biden stated, after a gathering together 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 curious about defending him any longer.”
Those feedback on Trump’s social media platform got here a day after he used one other publish to decry the opportunity 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 supposed for these troops to stay, including that U.S. forces on Sunday carried out “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 benefit from any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a secure haven,” Biden stated, utilizing a unique acronym for the group. “We won’t 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, among the insurgent teams that took down Assad have their very own grim file of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the teams are “saying the best 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 state of affairs all through a lot of area on many fronts, together with Israel’s struggle with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Trump, who takes workplace Jan. 20, 2025, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, noting that Assad’s allies in Moscow, in addition to in Iran, the primary sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state proper now.”
Vice President-elect JD Vance, a veteran of the U.S.-led struggle 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 steered that Assad’s ouster can advance the prospects for an finish to preventing 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 right away 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 japanese Syria however was “solely to make sure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with different features 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 attain a decision to incorporate the political settlement,” Shapiro stated.
“Multiple actors on this battle have a horrible observe file to incorporate Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS,” he added.
Shapiro, nonetheless, 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 search out him.
“To everybody in Syria that hears this, please remind folks that 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 a lot of care & course. Direct him to his household please!”
Tice disappeared in 2012 outdoors Damascus, amid intensification of what grew to become a civil struggle stretching greater than a decade.
“We’ve remained dedicated to returning him to his household,” Biden stated on the White House. “We imagine he’s alive, we expect we will get him again however we have now no direct proof to that but. And Assad must be held accountable.”
The president added: “We need to establish 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, in response to a U.S. official. The official, who was not licensed to remark publicly, added that the U.S. will proceed to work to establish Tice’s whereabouts and to attempt to convey him dwelling .
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Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
