The events unfolding in Syria, which has been in a civil war for over a decade, have surprised everyone. The rebels, HTS, once aligned with al-Qaeda, took Allepo, Homa and then Damascus in a matter of days. President Bashar al-Assad and before him, his father, ruled Syria with an iron fist for over 50 years and it's believed that he has flown out of the country to an unknown destination.
Nothing in the Middle East is ever simple, with factions fighting in different areas of the country. This is also a huge blow to Iran and Hezbollah, not to mention Russia, so we'll have to see how this plays out.
Peacefully, one would hope.
What is happening in Syria and why now?
Rebels say they have entered the capital Damascus and that President Bashar al-Assad has fled.
www.bbc.com
