Syria falls to rebels: Assad flees after 24 years in power

Syrian President Bashar al Assad flees the country and is probably going to take shelter under Putin’s wing. The seizure of Damascus by jihadist rebels marks the end of the Assad regime, in power for more than half a century

Syria has officially fallen into the hands of the jihadist rebels, who overnight took control of the capital, Damascus. Bashar al Assad, president for 24 years, has left the country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports, citing military sources. Assad’s flight follows an unstoppable offensive by the rebels, who have conquered Aleppo, Hama and Homs in less than ten days.

After the rebels entered Damascus, thousands of people took to the streets to celebrate the fall of the regime, which has ruled the country for 53 years. Insurgents announced the ‘liberation’ of the city and urged displaced and detained people to return to their homes, declaring ‘the end of decades of oppression’.

Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali declared his readiness to cooperate in a peaceful handover of power, hoping that Syria would become ‘a country for all its citizens’ and establish peaceful relations with its neighbours.

The rebels, shouting ‘God is the greatest’, entered the presidential palace without encountering resistance, according to eyewitnesses. After taking control of the state media offices, they also broadcast the announcement of Assad’s fall on national TV.

One of the most powerful symbols of the regime, the Saydnaya military prison, also fell into the hands of the rebels. Amnesty International had described Saydnaya as ‘the human slaughterhouse’, documenting years of torture and mass hangings.

Donald Trump, on Truth Social, confirmed Assad’s escape, adding that the Syrian president had lost Russia’s support because of Moscow’s losses in the conflict in Ukraine. Israeli and US sources suggest that Assad left Damascus for a Russian base with the intention of continuing on to Moscow, but there is no definitive confirmation of his current destination.

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