The toppling of Bashar Assad has raised tentative hopes that Syrians might live peacefully and as equals after a half century of authoritarian rule.

Across Syria, soldiers tied to the former Assad regime are surrendering their weapons to the interim government. The New York Times spoke to some of these men in Latakia, as they face a new and uncertain future as civilians.

Russia’s scorched-earth intervention on behalf of former Syrian President Bashar Assad once turned the tide of the Syrian civil war.

Russia has begun withdrawing a large amount of military equipment and troops from Syria following the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, according to two US officials and a western official familiar with the intelligence.

By Tuvan Gumrukcu, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Guy Faulconbridge TARTOUS, Syria (Reuters) - Russia is pulling back its military from the front lines in northern Syria and from posts in the Alawite Mountains but is not leaving its two main bases in the country after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad,

Across Syria, the country’s rebel leaders are struggling to contain revenge attacks, as vigilantes seize on the chaos of the moment to settle personal scores.

Ahmed al-Shara stressed diplomacy in an interview but criticized Israel’s advance into Syrian territory. A statement said to be from Bashar al-Assad, the ousted leader, defended his decision to leave for Russia.

An Israeli strike targeted an air defence installation near Syria's Mediterranean Latakia port, Syrian security sources said on Monday.

In Syria, rebel armed groups entered the territory of Tartus and Jablebla, but did not touch the Russian military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim. This was reported to TASS today, December 9, by a source in the Syrian province.

Syria’s new transitional government says there is no place for Russian presence in Syria a week after the country’s long-time President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. The new government also says it is open to engage in contacts with all countries to pave Syria’s new future.

Russia's bases in Syria are an integral part of its global military presence. The Tartous naval base is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and resupply hub, and the Latakia air base a major staging post for military and mercenary activity in Africa.

In the Assad clan's former heartland of Latakia, many in the toppled president's Alawite minority are relieved that his iron-clad rule has come to an end.- 'Stealing from us' - After the rebel takeover,