December 8th 2024.
Bassem Mroue and Zeina Karam, reporters for the Associated Press, were in for a shock early Sunday as the Syrian government appeared to have fallen after a sudden and rapid offensive by rebel forces. This marked the end of the 50-year rule of the Assad family, who had been in power since 1970.
According to Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, President Bashar Assad had fled the country in the face of the insurgent advance. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali also acknowledged the government's defeat and expressed the willingness to hand over power to a transitional government.
In a video statement, Jalali assured the public that he was still in his house and had not left the country, stating his love and belonging to Syria. He also urged citizens to refrain from damaging public property and announced his plans to continue working in his office the next morning.
However, reports emerged of Assad leaving the country by flight on Sunday, according to state television in Iran, Assad's main ally in the Syrian war. The news network did not provide any further details. There was no official statement from the Syrian government regarding Assad's whereabouts.
An Associated Press journalist in Damascus reported hearing gunshots and seeing armed residents along the outskirts of the capital. The main police headquarters in the city were abandoned, with no officers in sight. Another journalist captured footage of an abandoned army checkpoint, with discarded uniforms and a poster of Assad lying on the ground.
As the night progressed, more reports came in of the rebels entering Damascus, with footage showing a tank in one of the central squares and people celebrating while shouting "God is great." This was the first time that opposition forces had reached the capital since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured areas on the outskirts of the city.
The rebels' swift advance also saw them taking control of the central city of Homs, Syria's third-largest city. The city is located at a crucial junction between Damascus and the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, which are Assad's stronghold and home to a Russian naval base.
Meanwhile, the government denied rumors of Assad fleeing the country, with state media reporting that he was still in Damascus performing his duties. However, Sham FM radio reported that the Damascus airport had been evacuated, and all flights had been halted.
The rebels' progress into Damascus came after the Syrian army withdrew from several parts of the southern region, leaving them under the control of opposition fighters. This marked a significant shift in the balance of power, with the government forces now in control of only two of the 14 provincial capitals.
The rebel offensive, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, has met little resistance from the Syrian army, and they have made substantial gains in the past week. This has posed a significant threat to Assad's rule, as his allies have been unable to provide much support. Russia is occupied with the conflict in Ukraine, while Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iran have been weakened by conflicts with Israel.
In the midst of all this, the U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an orderly political transition. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed regret over the situation in Syria and said he felt sorry for the Syrian people.
The situation in Damascus has caused panic among its residents, with people rushing to stock up on supplies and thousands attempting to leave the country through the Lebanese border. The U.N. has also moved noncritical staff out of the country as a precaution.
As the world watches the unfolding events in Syria, questions arise about Assad's status and whereabouts. While some rumors suggest that he has fled the country, others claim he is still in Damascus. With the rebels gaining ground and the government struggling to maintain control, the fate of Syria remains uncertain.
On Sunday morning, the world woke up to a shocking news - the Assad family's 50-year rule in Syria had come to an end. In a swift and unexpected move, the Syrian government fell to rebel forces who had launched a lightning offensive. The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor confirmed that President Bashar Assad had left the country in a hurry, fleeing ahead of the insurgents who had taken over Damascus.
As the news spread, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali made a statement in a video, saying that the government was prepared to hand over its functions to a transitional government and reach out to the opposition. He reassured the citizens that he was still in the country, in his house, and would continue to work in his office the next day. He also urged the people not to damage public property. However, he did not mention anything about Assad's whereabouts.
According to Rami Abdurrahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad left the country by flight on Sunday. Meanwhile, Iranian state television, which has been the main supporter of Assad during the years of war, reported that the Syrian president had left the capital. However, there was no official statement from the Syrian government.
As reports of Assad's escape spread, the atmosphere in Damascus was chaotic. Gunshots and explosions were heard, and videos shared on social media showed a tank in one of the city's central squares. People were seen celebrating, and the sound of "God is great" echoed from the mosques. It was a historic moment as opposition forces had entered Damascus for the first time since 2018 when Syrian troops had recaptured the outskirts of the capital after a long siege.
The rebels' victory in Damascus came after they had taken over Homs, Syria's third-largest city, the previous night. Homs has a strategic location as it lies between Damascus and Syria's coastal provinces, which are Assad's stronghold and home to a Russian naval base. The pro-government Sham FM radio reported that the Damascus airport had been evacuated, and all flights had been halted.
The insurgents also announced that they had entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison and "liberated" the prisoners. This is a significant blow to the Assad regime, as the prison was known for its inhumane treatment of detainees.
Meanwhile, the government denied rumors of Assad leaving the country, with Syrian state media reporting that he was performing his duties in Damascus. However, the Syrian army had withdrawn from the southern part of the country, leaving more areas under the control of opposition fighters. The fall of Damascus would leave the government with only two of the 14 provincial capitals under its control.
The rapid advances by the rebels in the past week, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, have posed a serious threat to Assad's rule. The group, which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the US and the UN, has met little resistance from the Syrian army. This, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's allies, has brought the regime to its weakest point since the start of the war.
The situation in Syria has been changing rapidly, and the UN's special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an orderly political transition. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed his concern for the Syrian people, and US President-elect Donald Trump shared his opinion on social media, stating that the US should not intervene militarily in Syria.
As the news of Assad's escape spread, people in Damascus rushed to stock up on supplies, and thousands tried to leave the country through the Lebanon border. The Masnaa border crossing was closed, leaving many stranded. Shops in the capital were closed, and those that were open had run out of essential items like sugar, while others were selling goods at inflated prices.
The UN has started moving noncritical staff out of the country as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Assad's allies have been unable to provide any assistance, with Russia preoccupied with the war in Ukraine, Hezbollah engaged in a conflict with Israel, and Iran's proxies being targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
The fall of the Assad regime marks a new chapter in the Syrian civil war, with the opposition gaining significant ground and the government forces losing control of major cities. As the world watches, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Syria and its people.
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