For nearly 14 years, Bashar al-Assad’s regime pursued a maniacal campaign of brutality against its own people, in order to suppress opposition through terror and mass killing. Beginning very early on, Assad’s military and security apparatus embraced what they called an “Assad or we burn the country” approach – but in truth, it was more Assad and we burn the country.
At least 500,000 Syrians have since been killed, more than 130,000 more disappeared into a mass detention, torture and execution infrastructure in which industrial crematoriums and “iron presses” were used to efficiently dispose of bodies. From 2012 to 2016, 82,000 barrel bombs were dropped indiscriminately on urban areas of Syria, and nearly 340 verified chemical weapons attacks directed at civilian communities. Sunni Muslim villages were attacked and their entire population massacred, often with hammers and axes for terrifying effect. With such horrors in mind, the recent overthrow of Assad is a cause for extraordinary relief and celebration, though the challenge of turning that euphoria into long-term stability will prove a challenge.
Photo credit: Aaref Watad/AFP via Getty Images
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit, educational organization. It does not engage in advocacy and its scholars’ opinions are their own. MEI welcomes financial donations, but retains sole editorial control over its work and its publications reflect only the authors’ views. For a listing of MEI donors, please click here.
For nearly 14 years, Bashar al-Assad’s regime pursued a maniacal campaign of brutality against its own people, in order to suppress opposition through terror and mass killing. Beginning very early on, Assad’s military and security apparatus embraced what they called an “Assad or we burn the country” approach – but in truth, it was more Assad and we burn the country.
At least 500,000 Syrians have since been killed, more than 130,000 more disappeared into a mass detention, torture and execution infrastructure in which industrial crematoriums and “iron presses” were used to efficiently dispose of bodies. From 2012 to 2016, 82,000 barrel bombs were dropped indiscriminately on urban areas of Syria, and nearly 340 verified chemical weapons attacks directed at civilian communities. Sunni Muslim villages were attacked and their entire population massacred, often with hammers and axes for terrifying effect. With such horrors in mind, the recent overthrow of Assad is a cause for extraordinary relief and celebration, though the challenge of turning that euphoria into long-term stability will prove a challenge.
Photo credit: Aaref Watad/AFP via Getty Images
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is an independent, non-partisan, non-for-profit, educational organization. It does not engage in advocacy and its scholars’ opinions are their own. MEI welcomes financial donations, but retains sole editorial control over its work and its publications reflect only the authors’ views. For a listing of MEI donors, please click here.
