Benjamin Byman
The quick collapse of the Assad regime in Syria over the weekend is at least in part a testament to the improved warfighting skills of the rebel forces. In the run-up to the latest offensive, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the leading rebel group, had developed several impressive capabilities, including nighttime specialist units, suicide drone squadrons, improvised cruise missiles, and assassinations deep behind enemy lines. The rebel groups put aside their differences to focus on a common goal: ousting Bashar al-Assad.
But other incumbent regimes around the world have faced similarly capable insurgent groups and have fared much better and even won. The truth is that Assad’s forces performed poorly through much of the 13-year war—finally leading to the disintegration of the regime.
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