Global reaction to Assad’s sudden ouster from Syria ranges from jubilation to alarm

The fall of Syria’s authoritarian government at the hands of jihadi militants has set off waves of jubilation, trepidation and alarm around the world. Expatriate Syrians and many residents across the Middle East exulted at the overthrow of a leader who led his country through 14 years of civil strife that left half a million Syrians dead and displaced millions. Others worried about still more instability rocking a region in turmoil. Neighboring Jordan and Lebanon closed border crossings with Syria. Israel seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, while Assad ally Iran said Syrians should decide their country’s future “without destructive, coercive foreign intervention.” Many European governments welcomed Assad’s departure.