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Syrian rebels say Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus and claim to have captured capital
Live updates today cover the ongoing offensive by Syrian rebels, which appears to have successfully dismantled the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Rebel factions, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, have announced that they have liberated the capital, Damascus, as government troops withdraw from the area.
In central Damascus, jubilant crowds celebrated by climbing tanks and stepping on the fallen statue of Hafez al-Assad, the former president and father of the current leader.
The coalition of Syrian rebels is reportedly engaged in establishing a transitional governing body to assume full executive authority over the nation.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali expressed the government’s willingness to cooperate with the opposition, indicating a readiness to transition power: “I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” he stated.
Reports from Reuters suggest that the Syrian army command has acknowledged the end of Assad’s regime. However, the military has indicated that operations against what it describes as “terrorist groups” are ongoing in key regions such as Hama, Homs, and the Deraa countryside.
Bashar al-Assad, who has been in power for nearly a quarter of a century, is said to have fled the capital via airplane, with his specific whereabouts currently unknown.
In related comments, President-elect Donald Trump asserted that Assad had vacated the country due to deteriorating support from Russia, stating, “Assad is gone. His protector, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.”
Meanwhile, outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration is closely observing the rapid developments in Syria and is maintaining communication with partners in the region, as stated by the White House.
In a dramatic turn of events, as rebel forces advanced, they opened prisoners’ facilities where rights groups had previously documented an estimated 100,000 individuals missing or unaccounted for since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011. This included the infamous Sednaya military prison, known for its brutal treatment of detainees.
In response to the unfolding situation, Iraq has evacuated its embassy in Syria, relocating staff to Lebanon, although details regarding the reasons behind this evacuation have not been disclosed.
Who are the Syrian rebels claiming control of Damascus?
The rebel forces currently dominating the Syrian landscape are primarily led by the Islamist coalition known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), alongside the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of Turkish-supported militias.
The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida’s Syrian branch and has had a significant foothold in the northwest regions of the country. The coalition commenced its latest offensive on November 27, taking major cities such as Aleppo and Hama.
The founder of HTS, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has a history tied to the Iraqi insurgency and was previously involved with what later became the Islamic State group.
Originally operating as Jabhat al-Nusra, HTS professed allegiance to al-Qaida until breaking those ties in 2016, subsequently rebranding itself as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
HTS is presently recognized as the foremost rebel faction within Syria and is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, raising significant human rights concerns in regions under its control.
The dynamics between HTS and the SNA can fluctuate, with periods of both collaboration and competition.
Iranian embassy in Damascus damaged – reports
Reports from Iranian media indicate an attack on the Iranian embassy located in Damascus, with images showing broken windows. Footage shared on social media displays crowds tearing down banners of prominent figures such as former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian General Qassem Suleimani.
An Iranian state television outlet reported, “Unknown individuals have attacked the Iranian embassy, as seen in images shared by various networks,” indicating that disturbances have occurred within the diplomatic compound.
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www.theguardian.com