Syrian Conflict: Biden’s Vision for a Post-Assad Era

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be “held accountable.” He called the nation’s political upheaval a “historic opportunity” for Syrians to rebuild their country.

The US has given its first full reaction to Assad’s overthrow by rebel factions. Biden also warned that Washington will “remain vigilant” against the emergence of terrorist groups. He announced that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organisation.

“The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice,” Biden said from the White House.

“It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria.”

Reporters asked what should happen to the deposed president. The president reportedly has fled to Moscow. Biden said, “Assad should be held accountable.”

Biden is set to step down in January. This will make way for Republican Donald Trump’s return to power. He said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding.

“We will engage with all Syrian groups. Our efforts include working within the process led by the United Nations. We aim to establish a transition away from the Assad government. Our goal is an independent and sovereign Syria with a new constitution,” he said.

However, Biden cautioned that hardline fighter groups within the victorious rebel alliance will face scrutiny.

“Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism. They have committed human rights abuses,” Biden said.

The United States had “taken note” of recent statements by rebels. They suggested they had since moderated, he said. However, he cautioned: “We will assess not just their words, but their actions.”

Biden said Washington is “clear-eyed” about the Islamic State group’s intentions. The group, often known as ISIS, “will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish” itself in Syria.

“We will not let that happen,” he said, adding that US forces on Sunday conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria.

The US military said warplanes hit Islamic State operatives and camps.

The US Central Command said strikes targeted over 75 locations. They used multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s.

‘Reason for hope’

Assad’s reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged over five decades of Assad family rule. The group launched a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria’s civil war.

They announced on Sunday they had taken Damascus and that Assad fled, prompting nationwide celebrations and a ransacking of Assad’s luxurious home.

A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies the deposed leader and family were now in Moscow.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed Biden’s optimism. He said, “After 14 years of conflict, the Syrian people finally have reason for hope.” He also reiterated the need for justice and vigilance.

“We will support international efforts to hold the Assad regime accountable. We will also hold its backers responsible for atrocities and abuses. These actions have been perpetrated against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons.”

One outstanding concern is the fate of the Syrian government’s apparent stockpile of such weapons. Another issue is whether these weapons will fall into rebel hands.

“We are taking very prudent measures in that regard,” a senior US administration official told reporters Sunday.

The US military has “good fidelity” on the location of chemical weapons. The official stressed that “we’re doing everything we can to prudently ensure those materials are secure. They are either not available to anyone or are properly cared for.”

Damascus has been accused on numerous occasions of using chemical weapons, charges it denies.

The US military has around 900 troops in Syria. It also has 2,500 in Iraq. These troops are part of the international coalition established in 2014. This coalition was formed to help combat the Islamic State fighter group.

It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad’s government.

Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice is still alive. He was abducted in Syria in 2012. However, they have yet “to identify where he is.”