People celebrate in the street after Syrian rebels captured the city of Damascus, in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday. The rebels announced in a televised statement the ‘Liberation of the city of Damascus and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’, as well as the release of all the prisoners. Photo by Hasan Belal/EPA-EFE
Celebrations swept Damascus on Sunday after Syrian rebels entered the city and ended the rule of President Bashar Assad, who reportedly fled the country and was granted asylum in Russia, TASS, Arab TV stations and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
Assad’s fall came 11 days after the Syrian opposition forces, led by Ahmed Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the Jihadist rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, launched lightning attacks and gradually captured the main cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs. Advertisement
The rebels advanced steadily, reaching Damascus on Sunday morning without facing resistance from Assad’s army, with TV footage showing soldiers in the streets taking off their military uniforms.
Jubilant citizens took to the streets chanting for getting rid of 50 years of Syrian Baath Party rule and for the fall of Assad, who came to power in 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez Assad. Advertisement
Some waved Syrian opposition flags, others shouted “Freedom, Freedom,” and “Syrian people are one,” while they congratulated each other and women ululated in joy.
People cheered and chanted as they brought down and trampled on a statue of Assad’s father, who ruled the country with an iron fist. Big pictures of Assad, Hezbollah’s slain leader Hassan Nasrallah and Qassem Soleimani, assassinated leader of Iran’s Quds Force, were torn down.
The scene was repeated in almost every area captured by the rebels, who set free thousands of prisoners held in Israeli jails. The freed prisoners, including women and children, as well as many held without trials up to 40 years, were seen running in the streets and celebrating after learning about Assad’s fall.
Assad’s residence in the Malki neighborhood and the house of his brother, Maher, were the focus of many, who were seen touring them.
Assad and his family arrived in Moscow after being granted asylum in Russia, according to Russian state media TASS, citing a source in the Kremlin.
Assad’s whereabouts and fate originally were unclear. He reportedly fled the country Saturday night, taking a plane to an unknown destination. His plane disappeared from the radar, and reports suggested that he may have been killed when it crashed after his escape. Advertisement
Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Assad left the country via Damascus International Airport before the Army and security forces withdraw from there.
Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al Jalali told Al Arabiya TV station that his last contact with Assad was Saturday, during which he briefed him on the situation in Damascus. Assad, al Jalali said, replied, “We will see tomorrow.” The prime minister said he had no information on Assad’s fate or whereabouts.
Al Jalali said most of the ministers in his cabinet still were in Damascus, and that “there was a contact with [rebels’ leader] al Joulani on how to run the country during the transition phase.”
He expressed hope to achieve “a reconciliation among the various components of the Syrian people.”
In a message he posted earlier on his Facebook page, Al Jalali called for protecting “all state institutions” and said he was ready to “cooperate” with any leadership chosen by the people to hand over authority.
“This country can be a normal state that builds good relations with its neighbors … but this is left to any leadership the Syrian people will chose,” he said. Advertisement
The fall of Assad’s regime and victory of the rebels was officially announced on state-run Syrian TV.
“The great revolution has triumphed, and the Assad regime has fallen,” read a poster that appeared on TV, with calls to avoid shooting in public squares.
One rebel interviewed by Al Arabia TV said the opposition forces had clear instructions not to harm anyone or target public or private properties.
Syrian Justice Minister Ahmed al-Sayed said that Al Jalali agreed with the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham leader on preserving calm, and emphasized that “the political transition process will be smooth,” dismissing the possibility of a civil war in the country.
Al Sayed told Al Arabiya that Assad should have accommodated the opposition and negotiated with it.
Shortly before he arrived in Damascus, where he headed to al Ummaayad mosque surrounded by his jubilant fighters, Ahmed Sharaa, or al Joulani, confirmed that Syrian institutions will remain under the supervision of the prime minister until they are handed over.
The fall of Assad’s regime prompted thousands of Syrians to flee Damascus toward Lebanon, while thousands of Syrian refugees rushed to the Lebanese-Syrian Al Masnaa border crossing point to return to their country.
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