eli5: Why is Assad family still ruling Syria since years now? even after all those wars and conflicts in syria, No one was able to harm him
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Russia is one of the biggest backers of Assad. It’s hard to overthrow someone from a civil war when they have such a huge backer.
Because a lot of the people fighting Assad are religious fundamentalists and Assad is a secularist who protected minorities (Shia Muslims) from the Sunni Muslims. So while lots of people don’t want a dictator he is better than the alternative.
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1. The Syrian Military remains mostly loyal. With authoritarian regimes, the main threat to the reigning ruler is the guys with tanks and guns around the palace. They chose to stick by the Assads, so the Assads can still rule.
2. Significant overseas support from Russia. Russia had, at least prior to the Ukraine War, placed significant Military assets in Syria. Which made the militants job much more difficult and reduced the threat of a coup.
3. Lack of will in western nations to remove Assad. If France, the UK, or the US really wanted Assad gone, he would be gone. Each of those nations has the ability to Project Power into the Eastern Mediterranean and enough military power to overwhelm the Syrian Armed forces. But aside from a few special forces units embedded specifically for the purpose of fighting ISIS and calling in air strikes, Western Nations haven’t committed many resources to Syria.
4. Disunity among the rebels. Unlike in movies, the Rebels in Syria aren’t some grand alliance all working to bring down the regime and install democracy. Some wish to do that. Others are fighting to install an Islamic system in the vein of Iran. Others, like the Kurdish, are Nationalists fighting to break away from Syria, or to have a legally protected Autonomous zone. And then there are the terror organizations like ISIS which was an organization that spawned off a branch of Al-Qaeda, espousing a particularly harsh and violent interpretation of the Quran. In addition to fighting Syrian government forces, they fight each other, form alliances and truces, then go back to fighting each other.
So despite the efforts of Rebel Militias to remove him, Assad remains in power, The country remains in an unending civil war, and the people continue to suffer.
As with all authoritarian regimes as long as rhe military is fed and loyal and not opposed by a superior foe, they will stay with you.
Assad was supported through Russian means, his military didn’t go without pay.
That’s how it survived the beginning of the war, when there were loads of secular, democratic rebels.
Nowadays, most areas directly and actively opposing the Assad controlled regions are virulently Islamist.
No sane person living in Assad controlled areas would want to risk toppling Assad, when the only ones who could take over are those Islamists.
The secular revolution has long failed, the Islamist one is still going.
There’s no ‘side’ to turn to for regular people living in Assad controlled areas that could remotely promise to make their lives better.
So by comparison to other rulers in the area Assad seems outright benevolent.
Hence no risk of him being ‘stabbed in the back’ by the regular guys living in Damascus.
The secular politically motivated people looking for more egalitarian future were mostly made to flee and became refugees elsewhere, the ones left in Syria want to just go to work, have food on their table, and a home in safety.
The ones in Islamist controlled areas mostly hope the Islamists I’ll just disappear; but won’t speak up as to not lose their head.
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