December 8th 2024.
On a Sunday morning, the people of Beirut were stunned to hear that the Assad family's 50-year rule over Syria had come to an end. The rebels had launched a lightning offensive that had resulted in the fall of the Syrian government. The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor reported that President Bashar Assad had fled the country, seeking refuge in an undisclosed location. The insurgents claimed to have entered Damascus, their advance across the country having been remarkably swift.
In light of these events, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali expressed the government's willingness to cooperate with the opposition and hand over power to a transitional government. In a video statement, he reassured the public that he was still in his house and would be going to his office in the morning to continue work. He also urged the citizens not to damage public property. However, he did not address the reports of Assad's departure from the country.
According to Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad had taken a flight out of Damascus on Sunday. State television in Iran, Assad's main ally in the years of war, also reported his departure from the capital. Meanwhile, there was no official statement from the Syrian government. An Associated Press journalist in Damascus reported witnessing groups of armed residents and hearing gunshots in the outskirts of the city. The main police headquarters appeared to be abandoned, and an army checkpoint was found deserted with discarded uniforms and a poster of Assad's face.
The city was in a state of chaos, with reports of gunfire and explosions, and opposition-linked media showed footage of a tank in one of the central squares, while a small group of people celebrated, shouting "God is great" from the mosques. This was the first time that opposition forces had reached Damascus since 2018 when Syrian troops had recaptured areas on the outskirts of the city after a yearslong siege.
The pro-government Sham FM radio announced the evacuation of the Damascus airport and the halting of all flights. The insurgents also claimed to have entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison and freed the prisoners there. The previous night, they had taken over Homs, Syria's third-largest city, as government forces retreated. This city was strategically located between Damascus and the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, which were Assad's stronghold and home to a Russian naval base.
Despite the rumors, the government denied Assad's departure from the country. Sham FM reported that government forces had taken positions outside Homs, and according to Rami Abdurrahman, they had withdrawn from the city, allowing rebels to enter parts of it. The insurgents later announced their control over Homs, a game-changing move in their push to overthrow Assad's government. In the past week, they had also seized Aleppo, Hama, and large parts of the south, with little resistance from the Syrian army.
This sudden and swift takeover by the opposition, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, was considered a major threat to Assad's rule. It was the largest advancement by the rebels in recent years, and they were receiving little support from Assad's former allies. The situation was changing by the minute, and the U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure a smooth transition of power. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Assad's main international backer, expressed regret for the Syrian people's plight.
In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies, and thousands tried to leave the country at the Lebanon border. However, the main crossing was closed, leaving many stranded. Most shops were closed, and those open were selling basic staples at exorbitant prices. As a precautionary measure, the U.N. was moving noncritical staff out of the country. The future of Syria was uncertain, and the events of the past week had caused a significant shift in power.
On a Sunday morning, the Syrian government suddenly fell after 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The rebels made a swift and stunning offensive, causing President Bashar Assad to flee the country in fear. Reports from a Syrian opposition war monitor stated that Assad had left for an unknown location, while the insurgents claimed they had entered Damascus.
In a video statement, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali announced that the government was willing to hand over its functions to a transitional government and extend its hand to the opposition. He reassured the citizens that he was still in his house and had not left the country, emphasizing his loyalty to Syria. Jalili also urged the citizens to refrain from damaging public property. However, he did not address the rumors of Assad's departure.
According to Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad had taken a flight out of Damascus on Sunday. Iranian state television, Assad's main supporter in the war, also reported his departure, citing Qatar's Al Jazeera news network. However, there was no official statement from the Syrian government.
As news of the fall of the government spread, chaos erupted in Damascus. Armed residents were seen on the outskirts of the city, and gunshots could be heard. The main police headquarters was abandoned, with discarded uniforms and a poster of Assad left behind. Residents reported hearing gunfire and explosions, while footage from opposition media showed a tank in one of the central squares and people celebrating with cries of "God is great."
This was the first time in two years that the opposition forces had reached Damascus, as the Syrian troops had recaptured the outskirts of the capital in 2018. The pro-government radio station, Sham FM, reported that the Damascus airport had been evacuated and all flights had been halted. The insurgents also claimed to have liberated prisoners from the notorious Saydnaya military prison.
The previous night, the opposition had taken over Homs, Syria's third-largest city, as government forces abandoned it. Homs is a crucial intersection between Damascus and the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, which are Assad's base of support and home to a Russian naval base. However, the government denied rumors of Assad's departure, and Sham FM reported that the Syrian forces had taken positions outside Homs.
This lightning offensive by the rebels, which began on November 27, has seen them take control of Aleppo, Hama, and large parts of the south. Analysts believe that gaining control of Homs would be a significant turning point for the rebels. The insurgents faced little resistance from the Syrian army, as they pushed to overthrow Assad's government. However, their progress was also due to the lack of support from his allies.
The fall of Damascus would leave the government forces in control of only two out of 14 provincial capitals: Latakia and Tartus. This is a significant loss for Assad, as the rebels continue to make rapid gains. The situation is changing by the minute, according to the U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, who called for urgent talks in Geneva for an orderly political transition. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also expressed his concern for the Syrian people and the rapidly changing situation.
As the situation in Syria deteriorated, people rushed to stock up on supplies in Damascus. Thousands tried to leave the country through the border with Lebanon, causing Lebanese border officials to close the crossing. In the capital, many shops were closed, and those that were open had run out of essential items like sugar. In some places, items were being sold at three times the usual price. As a precaution, the U.N. was also moving non-essential staff out of the country.
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