Rebel forces are claiming victory in Syria after sweeping through the country over the past week and reaching the capital of Damascus today.
The climax of the armed uprising unfolded rapidly and we're now trying to make sense of what happened and how it will impact the wider region.
We answer a few basic questions to get you up to speed.
Where is Syria?
Syria sits on the Mediterranean in the Middle East.
Its neighbours include Iraq, Lebanon and Türkiye.
The rebels entered the strategic Syrian city of Hama on Thursday and advanced onwards to capture Homs by Saturday night.
By Sunday, rebel forces entered Damascus.
[embd — data wrapper map]Who are Syrian rebels?
There are a few different groups working together.
They're being led by an insurgent group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, more commonly referred to as HTS.
The HTS is considered a terrorist organisation by the United Nations and has its origins in Al Qaeda — a Sunni Islamist religiously motivated violent extremist group founded in the late 80s.
However, in recent years HTS says it has cut ties with Al Qaeda.
Also in the mix is a group of Syrian militias that collectively are known as the Syrian National Army, which is backed by Türkiye.
What do the Syrian rebels want?
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told US broadcaster CNN on Thursday the aim of the offensive was to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's government.
But it's unclear what will happen if the rebels do drive out the Assad regime.
Who is Bashar al-Assad?
Officially, Bashar al-Assad is Syria's president, but is he considered by the wider global community to be a dictator.
A dictator is a leader who has absolute power without the free consent of the people they rule over.
Assad became president in 2000 after the death of his father Hafez al-Assad.
The family has been in power for more than 50 years, with ABC global affairs editor John Lyons describing it as a "brutal dictatorship".
Australia has had sanctions against Syria since 2011 because of the Assad regime's "deeply disturbing and unacceptable use of violence against its people".
Where is Bashar al-Assad now?
That's unclear.
Reuters is reporting that Bashar al-Assad "boarded a plane and left Damascus for an unknown destination", attributing the information to "two senior army officers".
However, his whereabouts have not been confirmed.
What does this mean for the Middle East?
It's a complicated situation because it's not just about the Syrian people — there are a lot of global superpowers at play.
Here's how ABC global affairs editor John Lyons explains it:
"The reason Syria is so important is … all the major powers have their own proxies inside Syria.
"The Israelis want to see the end of the Assad regime.
"The Americans want to see the end of the regime.
"The Iranians want to see Assad survive.
"The Russians want to see Assad survive.
"The Turks have their own agenda right on the border."
