In an interview with French media published last week, Mr. Assad stated that Aleppo signaled a “tipping point in the course of the war” and that the government is “on the way to victory.”But if that is the case, what will Mr. Assad actually win? (While the following statistics are estimates, they will, if anything, get worse with the continuing matrix of wars in Syria.) Nearly 70 percent of Syrians live in extreme poverty, meaning they cannot secure basic needs, according to a 2016 report. View all New York Times newsletters. Paying for rebuilding would require uncharacteristic generosity from the international community, but there is no reason to believe other countries would want to reward Mr. Assad for out-brutalizing the other side.

Source: New York Times January 11, 2017 12:49 UTC