The Syrian president’s plane has reportedly left the capital, and the country’s armed forces have withdrawn from positions in Damascus
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters operate in Aleppo province, Syria, November 27, 2024. © Getty Images / Izzettin Kasim
Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists and other anti-government militias entered Damascus on Saturday, taking control over the Syrian capital. A Syrian military source has told Reuters that the armed forces have been informed that the era of President Bashar Assad is over, while flight data websites have shown that his presidential plane has left the city.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad al-Jalali has already offered to cooperate “with any leadership chosen by the people,” also claiming that he remains in his home.
HTS, a group led by a former Al-Qaeda commander and previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, launched a surprise offensive from the opposition-held province of Idlib in northern Syria last week.
Jihadists have already driven the Syrian Army from the cities of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Al-Qusayr at the border with Lebanon.
Other opposition and militant groups operating in Syria also seized several parts of the country. The US-sponsored Free Syrian Army (FSA) has taken control of the ancient site of Palmyra, while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also backed by the US have seized Deir ez-Zor.
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08 December 2024
12:37 GMT
It is too early to tell what the end of President Bashar Assad’s rule will spell for Syria and Israel, unnamed officials in West Jerusalem have told The Times of Israel. They suggested that the recent events have “significantly weakened” Iran, but noted that “many of the Syrian rebels are basically al-Qaeda.”
- 12:26 GMT
The demise of the Bashar Assad government ushers in “the first great sigh of relief for millions of people in Syria,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said, acknowledging that the fate of the Middle Eastern nation is difficult to predict at this point.
However, she stressed that “the country must not fall into the hands of other radicals – no matter what guise they take,” while urging “the parties to the conflict to live up to their responsibility for all Syrians.”
- 12:07 GMT
The fall of Assad’s government will not bring peace to Syria but will rather bring new struggles to the country, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a Tehran University professor and political analyst, has told RT.
“I do not believe the situation in Syria will get better. These extremist groups, after a period of celebration and quiet, will start turning on each other. When they were in Idlib [province], they were constantly at each others’ throats,” he said.
- 11:52 GMT
Russia’s military bases in Syria have been put on a high alert amid the unrest in the country, but “there is no serious threat to their security at the moment,” the Foreign Ministry has stated. Moscow operates two major military compounds in Syria – Khmeimim and Tartus Bases – in the western part of the country.
Russia is also taking all the necessary measures to protect its citizens in Syria, officials added.
- 11:50 GMT
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said it is “following the dramatic events in Syria with great concern,” urging all parties involved to refrain from violence and resolve their differences via a political settlement.
Moscow remains in contact with all factions of the Syrian opposition, the statement read, adding that it urges all stakeholders to respect the interests of all ethnic and religious communities in the country.
- 11:39 GMT
Bashar Assad has decided “to abandon his presidential post” and leave Syria as a result of talks with forces operating in the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said, stressing that Moscow “took no part in these negotiations.” It added that Assad ordered a peaceful transition of power.
- 11:07 GMT
The jihadists claim to have launched an attack on the Kurdish forces in the northern town of Manbij. Unconfirmed media reports suggest that they succeeded in pushing their adversaries from most of the area.
- 10:39 GMT
President Bashar Assad is “probably outside of Syria,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said, declining to speculate further. The whereabouts of the Syrian leader remain unclear, with speculation that his plane crashed after leaving Damascus. However, no evidence or sources confirming the claims have emerged so far.
- 10:39 GMT
The new Syrian government must be based on the principle of inclusiveness, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said, while warning against “a desire for revenge” and further destabilization of the region. He also signaled that Türkiye would continue to stand against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to prevent them from exploiting the crisis.
- 10:22 GMT
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has slammed the Bashar Assad government for failing to reconcile with his people and respond to their needs after the conflict was frozen in 2020. This failure caused massive migration, which brought risks to neighboring countries and the EU, he told reporters in Doha.
“As of this morning, Syria has reached a stage where the Syrian people will shape the future of their country,” he said.
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