The rebels who took over Damascus announced yesterday that a new government would begin work immediatelylccplus, as millions of Syrians and the wider world struggled to process the stunning end to the Assad family’s decades-long reign. Rebel fighters took up positions outside public buildings and directed traffic in a show of their newly claimed authority. Here’s the latest.

Times reporters in Syria yesterday saw abandoned Syrian military tanks, empty checkpoints and ripped-up posters of President Bashar al-Assad littering the ground. There were early signs of the lawlessness — broken windows of cars and shops — that many fear could spiral and grip the country, as well as euphoria at the ouster of a brutal leader.

The rebels now face the complex task of extending their control over a country with deep ethnic, sectarian and religious divisions.

I spoke to Alissa Rubin, a senior Middle East correspondent, for some context.

Can you explain the regional factors that played into the fall of the Assad regime?

This certainly happened in large part because of Israel’s weakening of Hezbollah, whose troops were supporting Assad. That made it more difficult for Iran, which is close to Hezbollah and worked with them in Syria, to operate there. Russia was also busy elsewhere. So there were all these international factors that created this moment, but those factors — and powers like Turkey — will also be part of creating the future.

What are the biggest challenges heading into that future?

There’s going to be an enormous number of military and security developments, and a lot of questions about how people will both be safe and also able to make it their country again.

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• Rebels
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• Tuesday