Part 3/7:
Since taking over the presidency after his father's death in 2000, Assad has maintained an iron-fisted control over Syria. His regime brutally quashed pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring in 2011, leading to widespread dissent and the eventual emergence of a protracted civil conflict. Over the years, Assad's government has been accused of employing brutal tactics, including chemical warfare, which has resulted in an estimated 500,000 deaths and millions more displaced.