DAMASCUS, Syria. Dec 8, 2024(AP): The Syrian government appears to have fallen early Sunday, marking a stunning end to the Assad family’s 50-year rule following a lightning-fast rebel offensive.
The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor reported that President Bashar Assad had fled the country for an undisclosed location, ahead of insurgents who claimed they had entered Damascus after a swift advance. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali announced the government’s readiness to “extend its hand” to the opposition and transfer its functions to a transitional government.
“I am in my house and I have not left, because of my belonging to this country,” Mr. Jalali stated in a video message. He affirmed his commitment to continue working and urged Syrian citizens to refrain from defacing public property. He did not address reports of Assad’s departure.
Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights informed The Associated Press that Assad had left Damascus on Sunday. Iranian state television, Assad’s key ally during the years of conflict, corroborated this, citing Qatar’s Al Jazeera network without further elaboration.
There was no immediate statement from the Syrian government. An Associated Press journalist in Damascus observed armed residents on the outskirts of the capital and reported gunfire. The city’s main police headquarters and an army checkpoint were found abandoned, with uniforms discarded under a poster of Assad.
Residents reported hearing gunfire and explosions. Opposition-linked media broadcast footage of a tank in one of the capital’s squares amid celebratory gatherings. Calls of “God is great” echoed from mosques.
This is the first time opposition forces have reached Damascus since 2018. Pro-government Sham FM radio reported the evacuation of Damascus airport and halted flights.
The insurgents also claimed to have entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of Damascus, freeing prisoners. The night before, opposition forces took the central city of Homs after government forces withdrew.
The city of Homs is strategically important, linking Damascus to Syria’s coastal provinces. Sham FM reported government forces taking positions outside Homs, while Mr. Abdurrahman confirmed that Syrian troops had retreated, allowing rebels to enter parts of the city.
The insurgency declared its control over Homs, having already seized Aleppo, Hama, and large parts of the south in a rapid offensive that began on November 27. Analysts believe that control of Homs could be pivotal. The Syrian army’s withdrawal from southern regions has left several provincial capitals under opposition control.
The fall of Damascus would leave the government in control of only two of Syria’s 14 provincial capitals: Latakia and Tartus. The recent advances represent the largest gains by opposition factions, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS), which has roots in al-Qaeda and is designated a terrorist organisation by the US and the UN.
The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an orderly political transition. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov expressed sympathy for the Syrian people.
Amid the chaos, Damascus residents rushed to stock up on supplies, with thousands fleeing to Lebanon. The Lebanese border closed late Saturday, trapping many.
Shops in the capital shuttered or ran out of staples, with some selling items at three times the usual price. The UN has begun moving non-essential staff out of the country as a precaution.
Curfew in Damascus
The Syrian opposition has declared a curfew in the capital from 4pm (13:00 GMT) until 5am (02:00 GMT).
The move comes after its fighters took over the capital in the morning, with President al-Assad reportedly leaving it.
Opposition fighters take over Kassab border crossing with Turkiye
Opposition fighters have released the footage below, verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency, which shows they have taken over the Kassab border crossing with Turkiye.
The crossing is located in the Latakia governorate and was also taken over by rebels during the civil war about a decade ago.
