Islamist-led rebels announced they had captured Damascus in a massive assault on Sunday, sending President Bashar al-Assad to flight and ending five decades of Baath rule in Syria.
A video circulated on social media showed rebels moving inside the presidential palace in the capital, Damascus. They were seen vandalizing Assad’s family portraits at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Residents of the Syrian capital were seen celebrating in the streets as rebel groups announced the departure of “tyrant” Assad, saying: “We declare the city of Damascus liberated.”
AFPTV images from Damascus showed rebels firing into the air at sunrise, some showing victory signs and shouting “Allahu Akbar”, or God is greatest.
Syrian rebels are now tearing down gold-clad pictures of the Assad family in the presidential palace in Damascus. pic.twitter.com/BZpZuIjwUr
– Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) 8 December 2024
Some climbed onto a tank to celebrate, while others vandalized a fallen statue of Assad’s father Hafez. “I can’t believe I’m living this moment,” a crying Damascus resident, Amer Batha, told AFP by phone. “We have been waiting for this day for a long time,” he said. “We are starting a new history for Syria,” he said.
The president’s reported departure, which was also reported by a war monitor, comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group launched its campaign to challenge the Assad family’s rule of more than five decades. Came after a short time.
The rebel groups said, “After 50 years of oppression under the Ba’ath regime, and 13 years of crimes and atrocities and (forced) displacement… we today declare the end of this dark period and the beginning of a new era for Syria.” We do.” Telegram.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali said he was ready to cooperate with “any leadership chosen by the Syrian people”.
Russia’s decade-long effort to prop up Syrian dictator Assad has failed, with rebels seizing full control after just a week of fighting.
Inside Assad’s presidential palace, Damascus. pic.twitter.com/wHVqtezBfq
– KyivPost (@KyivPost) 8 December 2024
HTS is rooted in the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda. Declared a terrorist organization by Western governments, it has tried to tone down its image in recent years, and has told minority groups living in the areas not to worry anymore.
Since the offensive began, at least 826 people have been killed, mostly fighters, and 111 civilians. The United Nations said 370,000 people have been displaced by the violence.
US President-elect Donald Trump posted on his Truth social platform that “Assad is gone”, adding: “His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia led by Vladimir Putin, was no longer interested in protecting him.”
Assad has been supported for years by Russia and Iran, while Turkey has historically supported the opposition.
Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a “political resolution to the conflict” in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday.
With inputs from AFP
