Syrian president leaves Damascus on airplane as military says his rule ends - reviews

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The Syrian authorities seems to have fallen after a lightning offensive by rebels.

President Bashar al Assad fled Damascus on a airplane for an unknown vacation spot, in keeping with two senior Syrian military officers talking to the Reuters information company, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Syria’s military command has now notified officers that his 24-year rule has ended, an officer who was knowledgeable of the transfer informed Reuters.

Hours earlier, the rebels mentioned that they had gained full management of the important thing metropolis of Homs after solely a day of preventing.

Learn extra: Newest updates from Syria

Syria’s prime minister mentioned he is able to hand over the federal government to the opposition in a peaceable transition.

“I’m right here in my dwelling,” Ghazi al Jalali mentioned.

“I’ve not left it and don’t intend to depart, besides in a peaceable method that ensures the continued functioning of public establishments and state amenities, selling safety and reassurance for our fellow residents.”

He mentioned he would go to his workplace to proceed work within the morning and referred to as on Syrian residents to not deface public property.

He didn’t touch upon reviews Bashar al Assad has fled Damascus.

1000’s celebrating within the streets

Quickly after, the rebels introduced it was prohibited to go close to public establishments that may stay beneath the supervision of the “former prime minister”.

The rebels, who mentioned Damascus was “now freed from Assad”, are anticipated to broadcast their first assertion to the Syrian folks on state tv, two insurgent sources mentioned.

1000’s of Syrians, in automobiles and on foot, have congregated at a essential sq. within the metropolis chanting for freedom, in keeping with Reuters.

In Homs, 1000’s extra poured on to the streets after the military withdrew from the town, dancing and chanting “Assad is gone, Homs is free”, and “Lengthy stay Syria and down with Bashar al Assad”.

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The facility dynamics of this unstable area will totally change

Protesters on Saturday introduced down a statue of the president’s late father in a essential sq. in a suburb a number of miles from the centre of the capital.

The nation’s worldwide airport in Damascus has been deserted and rebels say they’ve entered the infamous Saydnaya navy jail north of the capital and freed inmates there.

“We have fun with the Syrian folks the information of releasing our prisoners and releasing their chains and saying the tip of the period of injustice in Sednaya jail,” mentioned the rebels.

It is a new daybreak – however there are darkish clouds on the horizon

It is over.

Fifty-four years of brutal Assad dynasty rule has come to an finish. The streets of Damascus have erupted in celebration, President Assad has fled the nation and the capital has fallen.

What comes subsequent is of nice concern. Syria is deeply divided, geographically and socially. This can be a second of big peril.

As soon as the euphoria cools there can be deep hatred and anger in the direction of former Assad loyalists after many years of murderous rule. Containing that can be troublesome.

Who will govern Syria is unknown. A number of insurgent teams management completely different elements of the nation and, we assume, they may all need their slice of energy. That could be a recipe for additional civil warfare except this may be managed in an orderly manner.

Syria’s prime minister, Mohammed Ghazi al Jalali, has remained in Damascus and provided a peaceable transition. How he’s handled can be a very good indicator.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the principle group that began this riot with the seize of Aleppo, was as soon as affiliated with Al Qaeda. It has renounced these hyperlinks however stay a proscribed terror organisation by the US and others.

Russia and Iran, Assad’s two essential state sponsors, deserted him when his destiny appeared inevitable. It is unlikely they may abandon Syria fairly so shortly although. Moscow has key navy bases on the Mediterranean coast which opens up part of the world to them – giving these up can be an enormous strategic blow.

To Iran, Syria was a centrepiece in its axis of resistance, the funnel via which weapons have been channelled to Hezbollah and important territory in its arc of affect. However Assad and Hezbollah have now each collapsed, and Iran’s community of Shia affect is in tatters.

It is a new daybreak for Syria, however there are darkish clouds on the horizon.

Gunfire has been reported within the centre of Damascus, two residents informed Reuters on Sunday, though it was not instantly clear what the supply of the taking pictures was.

Hayat Tahrir al Sham commander Abu Mohammed al Golani, the principle insurgent chief, referred to as the seize of Homs a historic second and urged fighters to not hurt “those that drop their arms”.

They’ve additionally claimed Deir el Zor within the east, and Suweida, Quneitra and Deraa within the south.