How Syrian rebels overthrew the Assad regime in just over a week

Published

8 months ago

December 9, 2024

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Seizing military bases, toppling regime statues, freeing prisoners and capturing major cities – this is just a fraction of what Syrian rebel forces have achieved in just over a week.

Sky News has tracked the shock offensive that has ousted President Bashar al Assad, using over 60 geolocated videos that show how they advanced through major cities and captured the capital Damascus.

While Assad, who has now left the country, had earlier vowed to “crush” the offensive, visual evidence shows how quickly his regime has fallen.

This is how the offensive unfolded.

Until just over a week ago, Assad’s Russian-backed forces controlled much of Syria.

Now the opposition groups – led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) – a former al Qaeda affiliate previously known as the Nusra Front – have captured three of Syria’s major cities including its capital and ousted the regime.

The fall of Aleppo

Rebels began the surprise offensive from the northern province of Idlib before attacking areas to the north and northwest of Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city which has been under Assad’s control since 2016.

In the space of just three days, rebels pushed out government forces. Footage from 29 November shows lines of students evacuating from the University of Aleppo as opposition forces closed in.

Later that day, just two kilometres south of the university, HTS members filmed themselves at a statue of Assad’s deceased brother, taking down the regime flag.

The next day, Syria’s military announced a withdrawal from the city – Aleppo fell to the rebels.

Assad forces attempted defence

After defeat in Aleppo, Assad’s forces attempted to defend other cities and towns. They headed to Hama, a city 120km south of Aleppo – where geolocated videos posted on 30 November show a line of tanks as Assad’s forces awaited the rebels.

These are among the few videos which show efforts by regime forces during the offensive.

On 2 December, Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib in the north, which for years had been the last anti-regime stronghold in Syria.

Videos show the aftermath of a deadly attack near Idlib University Hospital; the strikes that day killed at least 25 people.

Rebels move to Hama

Next, the rebels moved towards Hama city, 120km south of Aleppo. We verified footage taken on 3 December showing opposition forces in Al Amqiyah and Halfaya, a village and a town in the Hama governorate.

On 4 December, the rebels posted videos of a military base they’d seized in the Hama province signalling that they were not only able to take large cities, but also to seize key military sites. Taken from inside a vehicle, the footage shows the empty base – with regime forces nowhere to be seen.

The next day, on 5 December, rebels captured Hama city – the provincial capital – as the military withdrew its troops marking the seizure of a second major city and a significant setback for the regime.

Footage posted by rebels on 5 December shows prisoners being freed from the notorious Hama prison, as family members and friends hugged each other as they were reunited.

Rebels capture Homs

With Aleppo and Hama now under rebel-control, opposition forces made their way to Homs a city in western Syria – under 50km south of Hama and around 150km south of Aleppo.

Homs sits on a major crossroad, linking Damascus to the north and Syria’s Mediterranean coast provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where the majority back Mr Assad and home to a Russian naval base and air base.

On the evening of 5 December, videos emerged of hundreds of people attempting to flee Homs as the rebels drew closer. Footage shows long queues of cars stuck in traffic as people tried to leave the city and head west.

The next day, the rebels are seen in a number of villages within a 10km radius of Homs. We geolocated footage of anti-Assad convoys advancing through the towns of Talbiseh and Ter Maela and greeted by civilians – showing just how close they were to the major city.

While the world’s attention was mostly focused on rebel advances heading south from Aleppo and Hama, the regime’s hold over territory in the east and south of the country was also deteriorating.

By 6 December, we geolocated footage that showed the rebels had taken Deir el-Zor, a major city on the eastern fringes of the regime’s territory. The same day, several locations were captured in Daraa Governate, putting new pressure on Damascus from the south.

Then, the next day, on 7 December, the rebels declared they’d captured Homs.

Regime’s last stand

Finally, the opposition forces moved around 130km south to Damascus – home to the presidential palace.

From here little resistance against the rebels was seen. Videos from 8 December show Syrians walking inside the Muhajireen Presidential Palace while other videos show posters of Assad being ripped from a hospital.

Celebrations have continued on the streets of the city as other videos show people leaving Damascus’s ministry of finance with bags.

Russia, one of Assad’s key allies, said the Syrian president has left office and Syria after giving orders for there to be a peaceful transfer of power.

Mr Assad has since arrived in Moscow with his family, a Kremlin source told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency.

While many did not anticipate the scale and speed of the rebel offensive in Syria and many questions remain over the political future of the country, this offensive marks the end of a 54-year Assad rule in Syria.

World

US officials to make ‘highly unusual’ visit to Gaza – amid warnings of ‘politically manmade’ famine

Published

7 hours ago

August 1, 2025

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US officials to make 'highly unusual' visit to Gaza - amid warnings of 'politically manmade' famine

Two senior US officials will visit Gaza later today, amid growing concerns about the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will inspect a food distribution site – and report back to the president immediately.

Our US correspondent David Blevins says the visit “is not unprecedented but is highly unusual … due to obvious security concerns and political sensitivities”.

He added: “I think it reflects the growing concern there is here in the United States about the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe.”

Aid workers on the ground have warned that a “politically manmade famine” is taking place in the territory.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told The World With Yalda Hakim that “more and more people will continue to die” unless there is urgent change.

Donald Trump has expressed frustration at the lack of aid reaching Palestinians and has repeatedly blamed Hamas – but US government analysis has found no evidence that the militant group is systemically stealing supplies.

He told reporters yesterday: “It’s terrible what’s occurring there. People are very hungry, you know.

“The United States gave $60m … for food. And, it’s a shame because … I don’t see the results of it. Part of the problem is Hamas is taking the money and they’re taking the food.”

Gaza latest: ‘Children are passing out from hunger’

On Thursday, Mr Witkoff arrived in Israel and held discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – the first meeting between the pair since both Israel and the US withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar a week ago.

At the time, he claimed that Hamas “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce.

Under heavy international pressure, Israel has paused fighting in parts of Gaza and airdropped food – although the volume of supplies remains far lower than what aid organisations say is needed.

While more aid trucks have entered Gaza, nearly all the lorries are stripped of their cargo by crowds of Palestinians desperate for food, or looted by armed gangs.

The alternative food distribution system run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has also been marred by violence.

Doctor Tom Adamkiewicz, a paediatrician working at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, told Sky News that the majority of the hospital’s patients have signs of malnutrition – and “many children are passing out literally during the day and injuring themselves”.

Separately, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul also arrived in Israel on Thursday on a two-day trip that will also take him to the occupied West Bank.

Germany, traditionally a staunch ally of Israel, has been increasingly critical. Mr Wadephul warned that Israel is “increasingly finding itself in a minority position”.

But he stopped short of moving towards recognising a Palestinian state, something his allies France, the UK and Canada have vowed to do in September if certain conditions are met.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s prime minister has called on the EU to “freeze” its trade agreement with Israel – with Ulf Kristersson describing the situation in Gaza as “utterly deplorable”.

After visiting Gaza, Mr Witkoff will travel to Russia. He has held extensive talks in Moscow with Vladimir Putin in the past.

The US president has given his Russian counterpart until 8 August to reach a deal to halt the fighting in Ukraine, or else he will impose economic sanctions.

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Gazan boy, 15, given hero’s welcome as he arrives in UK for urgent medical treatment

Published

15 hours ago

July 31, 2025

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Gazan boy, 15, given hero's welcome as he arrives in UK for urgent medical treatment

A 15-year-old boy from Gaza brought to the UK for urgent medical treatment has told Sky News of his joy and relief.

Majd Alshagnobi arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport with his mother and two siblings to a hero’s welcome on Wednesday evening, with well-wishers bearing flowers, gifts, and banners.

It has been a tortuous wait for the teenager, who suffered severe facial injuries in February 2024 when Israeli tank shells exploded near him and a group of friends.

Majd lost part of his face as well as his entire jaw and all his teeth. It has left him and his family traumatised.

His mother, Islam, told me that doctors at the Mamadani hospital in Gaza were shocked that her son survived the incident.

“When Majd first got to the hospital, they thought he was dead because of the severities of the injuries on his face and leg,” she said. “But when he raised his arm, they realised he was still alive.

“All the operating rooms were busy, so they carried out the operation in the kitchen to save him.

“It was very difficult for him to breathe, and they had to feed him through tubes and syringes through his nose. He really suffered.”

Majd stood awestruck at the window of the small central London apartment where his family had been accommodated. He wore a blue surgical mask but gently pulled it down to reveal a smile.

“Thank God I have the opportunity to receive treatment here… that’s the reason I have come. To get treatment,” he said. “Since I arrived, I have felt so much happier.

“We’ve been greeted in such a nice way, with gifts and things to help us.”

But it will take time for the young football fan to come to terms with the trauma he has suffered.

When I ask him what he remembers from his time in Gaza, he replies: “I saw dogs eating bodies and I was terrified, and I thought I was going to die. Stuff like that…”

His mother, who has had to leave two of her children in Gaza with their father, tells me: “Right now my family in Gaza live in tents. We’ve lost our home, we’ve lost our memories, we’ve lost our dreams. Nothing is left in Gaza.

“My two children who are still in Gaza with their father, every day I wake up in fear that they have been killed. Anything could happen to them in Gaza.”

Around 5,000 children have been evacuated from Gaza, with the majority going to Egypt and Gulf countries.

Majd is the third child to come to the UK with the help of the charity Project Pure Hope.

The group of volunteers have been campaigning successive governments for the last 20 months to create a scheme which would allow for the evacuation of 30 to 50 children.

The charity has raised the money to bring the children and their families to the UK, and cover their medical costs, privately.

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government was “accelerating efforts” to evacuate Gazan children who need urgent medical care in the UK.

Omar Din, the co-founder of Project Pure Hope, says it is time for the government to step in and take responsibility.

“We’re hoping following the prime minister’s announcement last Friday, that in the coming days we’ll have some concrete actions,” he said. “The more we wait, the more children die who we could be saving.

“We’ve done this privately because there was no other option available but myself, and members of my founding team, have done lots of this work for Ukrainian refugees previously. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be doing that for Gazans.”

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‘China is preparing to invade Taiwan’ – but there are questions over whether the island is ready

Published

16 hours ago

July 31, 2025

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'China is preparing to invade Taiwan' - but there are questions over whether the island is ready

At a critical port on the Taiwanese island of Penghu, there is a sudden bang of explosions.

For emergency crews, it is a race to respond, attend to the injured and contain what damage they can. It is noisy and chaotic.

But this time, it is just a rehearsal.

In fact, what we have been invited to watch is part of a programme of nationwide drills to test Taiwan’s civil resilience.

To ask, in essence, if its people are ready for war.

And there are clearly questions here about whether they are.

Penghu is an archipelago that sits about 31 miles (50km) west of Taiwan’s main island. It could be an early, easy target for China – and that means preparation here is vital.

But observers who have travelled from Taipei to assess proceedings are not entirely impressed.

“Do you think with just the staff here now it will be enough?” asks one senior government official at a community hall where about a dozen staff are practising handing out food and supplies.

“Of course not! There will be more than 7,000 people queuing up. They’ll wait from morning until the afternoon and get nothing. It’s completely impossible.”

‘China is preparing to invade’

The scenarios might be imagined, but the threat behind them is very real, and it’s being met with a new sense of urgency.

And now, in an interview with Sky News, Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister Wu Chihchung lays out the reality in perhaps some of the starkest terms used by this administration to date.

“The population need to not be naive like in the past,” he says.

“China is preparing to invade Taiwan.”

It comes at a time when increasingly sophisticated military activity and grey zone incursions from China have combined with a more robust approach from Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te, resulting in the most febrile atmosphere in the Taiwan Strait for decades.

Add into the mix Donald Trump’s presidency casting doubt over whether Taiwan can rely on US support in the event of a crisis, and questions about Taiwan’s readiness feel more pressing now than ever before.

“Taiwan alone, facing China – we will never be ready,” concedes Wu. “It’s not possible, China is so big, so huge.”

His words reflect harsh realities in Taiwan.

Self-governing and democratic, it is viewed by China as a breakaway province.

Under President Xi Jinping, the long-held aim of reunification has been turbocharged – he has reportedly asked his troops to be ready for a potential invasion as early as 2027.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s new president is seen as a deeply provocative figure on the mainland, with Beijing depicting him in propaganda as a parasite “courting ultimate destruction”.

In Lai Ching-te’s first year in office, he has demonstrated a willingness to go further in both words and policies than any who have preceded him.

He has not only described China as “a foreign hostile force” but has introduced a raft of new security measures, including the reinstating of a military court-style system, the deportation of pro-China influencers and a spike in the number of people arrested for espionage – four times as many last year as in 2021.

And all this has not gone unnoticed by China.

China’s grey zone tactics

The 14 months since Lai’s inauguration have been marked by an increase in Chinese action: numerous large-scale military drills, live-fire exercises and full encirclement of the island by jets and ships.

Beijing also appears to have been testing new capabilities, with onlookers in China taking videos of what appeared to be a test of a huge amphibious bridging system, a possible path on to Taiwan.

But perhaps the most noteworthy change has been the marked increase in so-called grey zone incursions, with China encroaching slowly in ways that are hard for Taiwan to respond to.

On Penghu, these tactics are a daily reality and are impacting lives and livelihoods.

“In the past, our fishing boats could go directly to mainland China. They’d even go ashore, maybe grab a meal,” explains Yen Te-Fu, who heads up the Penghu Fishermen’s Association.

“But fishermen are now too afraid to sail to China. When they fish in our own waters, they constantly see Chinese Coast Guard ships. They’re genuinely scared.”

He says it’s worse now than ever “because Lai Ching-te’s stance is even clearer”.

But the use of coastguard vessels to enforce new Chinese-set norms is just one tactic, according to observers.

Research published by the Taiwanese thinktank Research Project on China’s Defence Affairs (RCDA) has recorded new incidents of so-called “three-no” ships crossing the median line.

These are ships with no name, no registered home port and no registration certificate.

Thirty ships crossed on the eve of the one-year anniversary of President Lai’s inauguration as an “evidently disguised maritime militia ship”, the RCDA says.

While not against maritime law, it is nonetheless a serious accusation.

“This is nothing but a sheer slander, like a thief shouting ‘catch the thief’,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China’s ministry of national defence, when we put it to him.

“The relevant actions conducted by the PLA in the Taiwan Strait are necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Transactional Trump ‘constantly changing’

Conversations about Taiwan’s security have changed since Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Like most countries, the US does not share formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it is treaty-bound to supply it with defensive arms, and previous presidents have hinted they would do more if needed.

But Trump has accused Taiwan of “stealing” the US semiconductor industry, slapped it with a 32% tariff rate and refused to say if he would come to Taiwan’s defence (the tariff has been paused while negotiations continue).

At a baseball game in the northern city of Taoyuan, people didn’t hold back their views.

“I think he’s quite crazy,” one woman tells us.

“He’s constantly changing, there’s no credibility at all,” says a man. “It’s always America First, not caring about any other country.”

Government figures, of course, remain more diplomatic. Lai described the recent tariff negotiation as merely “frictions between friends”, but there is a sense that they know they cannot afford to become alienated from Trump.

In fact, TSMC, Taiwan’s (and the world’s) leading manufacturer of semiconductor chips, recently announced an additional $100bn investment to build factories in the US.

Semiconductors are the vital chips needed to power the modern world. Taiwan makes more than 90% of the world’s most advanced ones, and the industry is seen as one of the key reasons the West could come to its support.

The US investment was thus criticised by some as a divergence of Taiwan’s greatest defensive asset, a claim the government here bats away.

“America has also given us a lot,” insists deputy foreign minister Wu. “The American army is working hard to maintain peace in the region.

“Donald Trump certainly knows that without Taiwanese chips, he cannot make America great again.”

Taiwan’s ‘wake-up call’ on defence

With more concern over US support for Taiwan, come questions on whether the island could defend itself.

In recent years, there has been a concerted push from the Taiwanese government to better equip itself with the type of asymmetric weaponry that would be needed to resist China.

Inspired by the experiences of Ukraine, additional drone manufacturers were given contracts in 2022 to help rapidly scale up production of military-grade drones.

But data from the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology shows that there is still a long way to go.

Drone production capacity in the year to April 2025 was only around 5% of the 180,000 units Taiwan wants to be producing annually by 2028.

Thunder Tiger was one of the firms given a contract and its general manager Gene Su says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “wake-up call” for Taiwanese military procurement.

But more needs to be done, he adds.

“I believe we are speeding up, but I believe that it’s not yet there,” he says.

In his dealings with the government, he feels that Trump has changed the equation, with an uptick of defence purchasing.

But even with these renewed efforts, without help from allies, it is still unlikely Taiwan could hold out.

China has always been resolute and consistent.

It says the Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China and that the Lai administration is a separatist force, which is the root cause of disruption to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

It also says there is “no such thing” as a deputy foreign minister in Taiwan.

The status quo has kept Taiwan safe for nearly 80 years and the government here insists that maintaining it is their priority, but that has rarely felt so vulnerable.