Syrian conscript Farhan al-Khouli fled his post near Idlib as demoralized troops abandoned their positions amid rampant corruption and poor conditions. The army, weakened by reliance on foreign allies and internal discontent, collapsed as rebels advanced, toppling President Bashar al-Assad and ending a 13-year conflict. Reuters’ investigation, based on multiple sources and intelligence documents, revealed the army’s hollowed state due to demoralization, corruption, and reliance on foreign command structures.