On December 8th, 2024, Syrian rebel forces toppled one of the longest established and oppressive autocracies on earth. The Hay ‘at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group mounted an attack on the Syrian government on the 27th November, shocking the regime, the world and possibly even themselves at the speed in which the offensive managed to take key military targets. The new ‘leader’ of Syria, replacing Bashar Al-Assad who has now claimed asylum in Russia is named Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Muhammed Al Gholani). He has assured the world and the Syrian people that his government would be one of stability and fair electoral processes. HTS has sought to reposition itself as a legitimate force, though its past links to Al-Qaeda continue to fuel scepticism among analysts and policymakers. This unprecedented shift in the Syrian Civil War raises lots of questions. Is the civil war now over? Can Syria and the rest of the world trust HTS to deliver upon their word? And how exactly did a rebel offensive topple one of the world’s most notorious dictatorships and police states in just 11 days?

Since 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has reached one final conviction for conflict-related sexual violence. Over the last two decades, there has been an eruption in conflicts across the globe. With this, comes the horrific practice of sexual violence being used by male fighters against female civilian populations. Whilst we can find cases of sexual violence being used in nearly all conflicts throughout history, this is a disturbing subject which those who aren’t involved, tend to look away from. This is somewhat understandable due to the unthinkable, brutal realities women caught in conflicts face daily. However, it is necessary to raise awareness for victims by reporting on this extensively, to cultivate the widespread cultural outrage that gets world leaders to pay attention.