WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden mentioned Sunday that the sudden collapse of Syria’s authorities beneath Bashar Assad was a “basic act of justice” after a long time of repression, however was “a second of threat and uncertainty” for the Middle East.
Biden spoke on the White House hours after insurgent teams accomplished their takeover of the nation after greater than a dozen years of violent civil warfare and a long time of management by Assad and his household. Biden mentioned the United States was uncertain of Assad’s whereabouts however was monitoring stories that he was searching for refuge in Moscow.
The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump have been working to make sense of recent threats and alternatives throughout the Middle East.
Biden credited the motion of the United States and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers: Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He mentioned “for the primary time” that they might not defend Assad’s rule.
“Our strategy has shifted the stability of energy within the Middle East,” Biden mentioned, after a gathering together with his nationwide safety staff on the White House.
Trump mentioned Sunday that Assad had fled his nation, which his household had dominated for many years, as a result of shut ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, was “not taken with defending him.”
These feedback on Trump’s social media platform got here a day after Trump used one other put up to denounce the opportunity of the United States intervening militarily in Syria to assist the rebels, declaring: “THIS IS NOT OUR STRUGGLE”. According to President Joe Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, the Biden administration had no intention of intervening.
The United States has about 900 troops in Syria, together with forces working with Kurdish allies within the opposition-controlled northeast to forestall any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden mentioned he supposed for the troops to remain, including that American forces on Sunday carried out “dozens” of what he known as “precision airstrikes” on Islamic State camps and operations in Syria.
The Syrian opposition that overthrew Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Biden administration has designated the group a terrorist group and says it has ties to al-Qaida, though Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it has since damaged ties with al-Qaeda.
“We will stay vigilant,” Biden mentioned. “Make no mistake, among the insurgent teams that toppled Assad have their very own unhappy historical past of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the teams “are saying the suitable issues now.”
“But as they tackle extra duty, we are going to consider not simply their phrases, however their actions,” Biden mentioned.
Assad’s fall provides to an already tense state of affairs throughout a lot of the area on many fronts, together with Israel’s warfare with Hamas in Gaza and the delicate ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Trump, who takes workplace on January 20, 2025, has drawn a hyperlink between the unrest in Syria and Russia’s warfare in Ukraine, noting that Assad’s allies in Moscow, in addition to in Iran, the primary sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “I’m in a weakened state proper now.”
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, a veteran of the U.S.-led warfare in Iraq, wrote on his social media Sunday to precise skepticism in regards to the insurgents.
“Many of the ‘rebels’ are actually an offshoot of ISIS. One can hope that they’ve moderated. Time will inform,” he mentioned, utilizing one other acronym for the group.
Trump has instructed that Assad’s ouster may advance prospects of an finish to preventing in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Trump wrote that Putin’s authorities “has misplaced all curiosity in Syria due to Ukraine” and the Republican known as for a direct ceasefire, the day after assembly in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders.
Daniel B. Shapiro, deputy assistant secretary of protection for the Middle East, mentioned that the American army presence will proceed in japanese Syria, however will serve “solely to make sure the lasting defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with different points of this battle.”
“We name on all events in Syria to guard civilians, particularly these from Syria’s minority communities, to respect worldwide army norms, and to work to achieve a decision that features a political resolution,” Shapiro mentioned.
“Multiple actors on this battle have a horrible observe document that features Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bombing, the involvement of Iranian-backed militias and ISIS atrocities,” he added.
Shapiro, nevertheless, was cautious to not instantly say that Assad had been deposed by the insurgents.
“If confirmed, nobody ought to shed tears over the Assad regime,” he mentioned.
As they headed in the direction of the Syrian capital Damascus, the opposition freed political prisoners from authorities prisons. The household of lacking American journalist Austin Tice has renewed calls to seek out him.
“To everybody in Syria who hears this, please remind those that we’re ready for Austin,” Tice’s mom, Debra, mentioned in feedback circulated on social media by hostage advocacy teams. “We know that when he comes out he will likely be fairly dizzy and can want a number of care and steerage. Address this to his household, please!”
Tice disappeared in 2012 exterior Damascus, amid the intensification of what turned a civil warfare that lasted greater than a decade.
We remained dedicated to returning him to his household,” Biden mentioned on the White House. “We imagine he’s alive, we expect we will carry him again however we do not have direct proof of that but. And Assad needs to be held accountable.”
The president added: “We have to establish the place he’s.”
Associated Press author Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and AP White House correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
Originally printed:
