U.S. Welcomes End Of Assad Regime, Calls For Peaceful Transition in Syria

The United States on Sunday welcomed the end of Bashar Al-Assad's regime in Syria, expressing support for the Syrian people’s aspirations for a peaceful and inclusive future, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country,” President Joe Biden said from the White House Sunday afternoon.

According to him, for years, the main backers of Assad have been around Hezbollah and Russia. "But over the last week, their support collapsed, all three of them, because all three of them are far weaker today than they were when I took office."

Biden went on to add that it was “impossible” for Iran and Hezbollah to “prop up” Assad’s regime, adding Russia’s support for Assad had also failed due to the “massive damage” indirectly inflicted by the U.S. in its backing of Ukraine.

“The upshot for all this is for the first time ever, either Russia nor Iran or Hezbollah could defend this abhorrent regime in Syria. This is a direct result of the blows that Ukraine, Israel have delivered upon their own self-defence with unflagging support of the United States,” he said.

Biden also announced the U.S. had conducted dozens of airstrikes in Syria as it remains committed to preventing the resurgence of ISIS.

Biden’s comments come as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has urged a hands-off approach to the conflict, saying that the U.S. should not get involved.  “Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer,” Trump said in a post to social media.

In a separate statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. will 'closely monitor' developments as they unfold and engage with its partners in the region.  "We will support international efforts to hold the Assad regime and its backers accountable for atrocities and abuses perpetrated against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons and the unjust detention of civilians..," he said.

"After 14 years of conflict, the Syrian people finally have reason for hope," Blinken emphasized.