Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the international community expected Syrian President Bashar Assad to have a stronger response to the rebels who took control of Damascus during the weekend.
“I think the entire international community was surprised that the opposition forces moved as quickly as they did,” Austin said Monday, as reported by NewsNation. “Everyone expected to see much tougher resistance from Assad’s forces.”
The rebels’ victory early Sunday concluded their 10-day offensive, during which they seized government-held land and effectively ended the Assad family’s 50-year rule.
Reports indicated that Assad fled the capital Damascus before opposition fighters entered.
It was confirmed later Sunday that Assad and his family had been granted asylum in Russia and arrived in Moscow.
Citizens took to the streets in celebration and President Biden applauded Assad’s fall from power, calling it “fundamental act of justice”.
However, Biden also warned that the moment was fraught with “risk and uncertainty.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also welcomed the news of Assad’s fall, as he was a key ally of Iran and Hezbollah.
The United States launched airstrikes Sunday against ISIS camps in Syria. The uprising has raised questions about what lies ahead for the country and the region, but US officials say they will not allow ISIS to reconstitute itself.
Austin said the U.S. has been tracking ISIS there “for some time.”
“We have seen cells trying to strengthen and develop in the Bidiya desert. Those strikes targeted those cells,” Austin said of the military strikes.
“We have conducted attacks on 75 targets using several different platforms,” he continued. “We are still evaluating these results.”
He said the United States is “focused on ISIS” and has plans to “keep up the pressure” and not allow them to re-emerge.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.
