By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled the country, after rebel fighters said they had entered Damascus following a stunning advance, marking an end to the 24 years rule of the dictator.
The Syrian insurgent forces said early on Sunday that they had entered Damascus and residents of the country’s capital reported the sounds of gunfire and explosions.
The rebel fighters led by a Sunni Islamist political and armed group that has long been involved in Syrian civil war, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), had earlier entered Syria’s third-largest city of Homs before launching an offensive on Damascus.
Quoting senior military officials, Reuters said Assad fled Damascus by plane to an unknown destination.
The rebels have reportedly freed inmates from Saydnaya prison where thousands of opposition supporters were detained.
HTS announced on Telegram that the prisoners had been let go, calling it “the end of the era of injustice” in Saydnaya.
The United Nations had described the prison as a “human slaughterhouse” where opponents of the Assad rule are tortured and executed.
In a speech posted on social media, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali said he would remain in Damascus and that Syria “can be a normal country that builds good relations with its neighbours and the world”.
Hadi al-Bahra, Syria’s opposition leader, confirmed that the Assad government had been toppled while assuring citizens that their “dignity” would be respected.
“To our people of all sects and religions, as long as you do not raise arms against any other citizen and as long as you stay in your homes, you are safe,” he wrote on X.
“There will be no cases of revenge or retaliation, and no violations of human rights. People’s dignity will be respected and their dignity will be preserved.”
As the situation escalated, the UN withdrew its “non-critical” staff from the country.
The White House said US President Joe Biden is monitoring the “extraordinary events” while President-elect Donald Trump said: “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend.”
“The United States should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved,” he posted on Truth Social.
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the rebel group HTS, said Syrian institutions “will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over”.
Before the recent events, the Assad family had controlled Syria for nearly 54 years.
Footage shared on social media Sunday morning showed people celebrating in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city.
