In just two weeks, rebel forces tore across Syria, shattering the stalemate left by more than a decade of civil war and bringing an end to more than five decades of brutal rule by the Assad dynasty. The rebels rapidly advanced east towards Aleppo, capturing a Syrian government base and several villages. They then took control of Aleppo, a major city that had been under the control of Bashar al-Assad for over four years. The rebels continued their advance, taking Hama and Homs, before finally entering the capital city of Damascus. The fall of the Assad government was met with celebration but also uncertainty about the future of the country.