Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country as rebel forces seized the capital, Damascus, marking a dramatic turn in the nation's 13-year civil war. The opposition's swift advance has left Assad's regime in disarray, with reports suggesting the president and his family have flown to an undisclosed location.
State television confirmed Assad's departure but did not disclose where he had gone. Reuters cited Syrian television reports stating that Assad, along with his British-born wife Asma and their three children, fled as rebel forces entered the city. Opposition sources also confirmed the collapse of the capital's defenses.
Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight from Damascus as insurgents moved into the city. Rebel forces have entered central Damascus for the first time since 2018, following a rapid offensive that began in late November.
Footage broadcast on opposition-linked media showed tanks in central squares and residents celebrating in the streets. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and explosions as calls of "God is great" rang out from mosques. Thousands gathered in Damascus's main squares, chanting "Freedom" and waving opposition flags.
The collapse of Assad's regime follows the loss of major strongholds, including Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. Homs, Syria's third-largest city and a strategic hub, fell to opposition forces on Saturday after government troops abandoned their positions. The Syrian army has since retreated to coastal provinces Latakia and Tartus, Assad's remaining strongholds.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist group with origins in al-Qaeda, has led the offensive. The group captured large swathes of territory, encountering minimal resistance from Syrian government forces. The insurgents also claimed to have entered Saydnaya military prison north of Damascus, releasing prisoners held there.
Pro-government radio station Sham FM confirmed that flights from Damascus International Airport have been suspended and that the airport has been evacuated. Shops in the capital have reportedly run out of basic supplies such as sugar, while prices for staples have skyrocketed.
Iranian state television, citing Qatar's Al Jazeera, also reported Assad's departure, although no details of his destination were provided. The rapid rebel advance has left only Latakia and Tartus under government control, reducing Assad's influence to a fraction of its former reach.
The fall of Damascus is the culmination of a rebellion that began in 2011 during the Arab Spring. The uprising was sparked in the city of Daraa, where schoolboys wrote anti-government graffiti. Assad's violent crackdown on pro-democracy activists led to a protracted civil war, claiming over 500,000 lives and displacing millions.
