Syria’s deposed president Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia after being granted asylum by Vladimir Putin’s authorities, according to Russian media.
The Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed source saying: “President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds.”
Mr Assad fled Damascus as rebel fighters raced into capital city unopposed on Sunday, bringing a sudden end to his 24-year rule.
As he left, Syrians poured into the streets in celebration with crowds gathered in central squares, with many waving Syrian revolutionary flags. Others ransacked the presidential palace and residence.
Russia was a key ally of Mr Assad’s regime - and his arrival in the country will not be a surprise to many.
In one of the most consequential turning points in the Middle East for generations, the fall of Mr Assad’s government has wiped out a bastion from which Iran and Russia exercised influence across the Arab world.
For Syrians, it has brought a sudden unexpected end to a war that had been in deep freeze for years, with hundreds of thousands dead, cities pounded to dust, an economy hollowed out by global sanctions and seemingly no resolution in sight.
Key Points
- Assad and his family are in Moscow after Russia granted them asylum, say Russian news agencies
- The UK welcomes the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s ‘barbaric regime’, Starmer says
- Mapped: Where have rebels taken control?
- Syrian prime minister says government ready to ‘extend its hand’ to opposition
- Syrian rebels say they have entered Damascus as Assad regime crumbles
US strikes Isis camps in central Syria
Sunday 8 December 2024 21:55 , Tom Watling𝐔.𝐒. 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐚
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 8, 2024
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted dozens of precision airstrikes targeting known ISIS camps and… pic.twitter.com/E7CUPuPehf
Israeli military tells residents in southern Syrian towns to stay at home
Sunday 8 December 2024 21:28 , Jabed AhmedThe Israeli military has issued a warning to five towns in southern Syria, calling on residents to stay at home “until further notice” due to ongoing combat in the area.
Timeline: Two seismic weeks that toppled Syria’s government
Sunday 8 December 2024 20:58 , Jabed Ahmed
How it happened: Two seismic weeks that toppled Syria's government
Families of jailed Syrian prisoners look for clues after mass releases
Sunday 8 December 2024 20:47 , Tom WatlingOutside of the prison, and in nearby cities, family members who knew their loved ones were at some point transferred to Sadnaya waited anxiously for any news as more and more people were filmed escaping.
Fakhria, whose son Abdo Sahwar, a father of two, was arrested 10 years ago and is believed to be in Sadnaya, said her family were desperate for any news.
“My heart burns for him. Every day feels like a year. Waiting is worse than death, but it’s the only thing keeping me going,” she said.
“I had lost hope, but now my heart is racing with tension. I don’t know if I’ll find him alive. If I see him, I might die of joy.”
Sara, (not her real name) was in a similar position. Her brother Mohamed Fakher al-Ward, a 24-year-old man from Idlib was initially arrested in the north of Syria before being transferred to Sadnaya at some point. They have had no information about him for years. She said even information of his death would be something - so far he has not appeared on any of the videos of inmates escaping the jail.
“Every video and every piece of news drowns us further in a sea of questions. Is he alive? Did he die under torture? Will we ever receive his body?” She asked in desperation.
“We want a grave to mourn at. Waiting is crueler than death.”
Rebels freed from Syrian jails celebrate end of Assad’s regime
Sunday 8 December 2024 20:36 , Bel TrewRebels freed thousands of people from regime prisons including those held in notorious Sadnaya jail just north of Damascus, many of them political detainees.
There, bewildered and frail, Zakaria Al-Ashara, who had been jailed for five years, spoke of tasting freedom for the first time. He said he had been tortured and starved by his jailers and watched fellow inmates die of hunger, their injuries and illness.
“It’s an indescribable, beautiful feeling. I couldn’t believe it when I got out. I dreamed of this moment and imagined it every day” he told The Independent, explaining how he would sometimes live on just a single piece of bread a day.
“People died from humiliation, illness, and torture. Even food brought by visitors was stolen from us. At night, guards would storm our cells, killing people for sport.
“Every moment was a nightmare. Yet, despite everything, I clung to the dream of freedom and never stopped praying.
Watch: Inside Syrian President Bashar al Assad's trashed private residence
Sunday 8 December 2024 20:29 , Jabed AhmedComment: We Syrians finally have hope - now that there’s nothing left to lose
Sunday 8 December 2024 19:58 , Jabed AhmedThe dream of a free Syria is what drives us to stand here today, at this new crossroads filled with both hopes and fears, writes journalist and filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab
We Syrians finally have hope - now that there’s nothing left to lose
Saudi official says kingdom is in contact with all Syria stakeholders
Sunday 8 December 2024 19:31 , Jabed AhmedSaudi Arabia has been communicating with all regional actors on Syria and is determined to do what is possible to avoid a chaotic outcome for the country, a Saudi official has said.
"We have been in contact with all actors in the region. We are in constant communication with Turkey and every stakeholder involved," the official told Reuters, adding that the kingdom was not aware of Bashar al-Assad's whereabouts.
Bewildered and elated prisoners pour out as Assad’s jails flung open
Sunday 8 December 2024 19:01 , Jabed AhmedBewildered and elated prisoners poured out of Syrian jails, shouting with joy as they emerged from one of the world’s most notorious detention systems and walked to freedom following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
All across Syria, families wept as they were reunited with children, siblings, spouses and parents who vanished years ago into the impregnable gulag of the Assad dynasty’s five-decade reign.
Newly freed prisoners ran through the Damascus streets holding up the fingers of both hands to show how many years they had been in prison, asking passers-by what had happened, not immediately understanding that Assad had fallen.
“We toppled the regime!” a voice shouted and a prisoner yelled and skipped with delight in one video. A man watching the prisoners rush through the dawn streets put his hands to head, exclaiming with wonder: “Oh my god, the prisoners!”
Throughout the civil war that began in 2011, security forces have held hundreds of thousands of people seized into detention camps where international human rights organisations say torture was universal practice. Families were often told nothing of their loved-ones’ fate.
Israel watching Syria closely after 'historic' fall of Assad
Sunday 8 December 2024 18:36 , Jabed AhmedPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the ousting of Assad as an "historic day" that followed the blows delivered by Israel against Assad's supporters Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon that had created a chain reaction throughout the region.
"This of course creates new, very important opportunities for the State of Israel. But it is also not without risks," he said on a visit to the border area on Sunday.
Israel has pushed tanks over the border into the buffer zone with Syria to prevent a spillover from the turmoil there, but has declared its intention of staying out of the conflict engulfing its neighbour.
Netanyahu said Israel was working on a policy of "good neighbourliness" and would "extend a hand of peace" to Druze, Kurds, Christians and Muslims.
"We will closely follow developments. We will do what is necessary to protect our border and protect our security," he said in a filmed statement.
Full report: Assad family’s iron-grip rule on Syria toppled as insurgents take control of Damascus
Sunday 8 December 2024 18:30 , Jabed AhmedRead the full report of today’s events from The Independent’s Chief Foreign Correspondent Bel Trew and Jabed Ahmed:
Assad family’s iron-grip on Syria toppled as insurgents take control of Damascus
The House of Assad has finally fallen - but chaotic Syria could still be torn apart
Sunday 8 December 2024 18:24 , Jabed AhmedRead the full report from The Independent’s World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley:
The House of Assad has finally fallen - but chaotic Syria could still be torn apart
Assad and his family are in Moscow after Russia granted them asylum, say Russian news agencies
Sunday 8 December 2024 18:06 , Jabed AhmedBashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia and have been granted asylum by the Russian authorities, Russian news agencies reported, citing a Kremlin source.
The Interfax news agency quoted the unnamed source as saying: “President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds.”
Explained: What’s happening in Syria? Everything we know as President Assad flees and rebels claim victory
Sunday 8 December 2024 17:58 , Jabed Ahmed
What’s happening in Syria? Everything we know as President Assad flees
Netanyahu says Israeli forces have seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights after Syrian unrest
Sunday 8 December 2024 17:26 , Jabed AhmedIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces have seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria.
Netanyahu said the decades-old agreement had collapsed and that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, necessitating the Israeli takeover.
Israel captured the Golan Heights in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied Syrian territory.
Iran, which had closely backed Assad, says Syrians should decide country’s future
Sunday 8 December 2024 16:56 , Jabed AhmedIran, which had strongly backed President Bashar Assad’s deposed government, says Syrians should decide their country’s future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.”
The statement from the Foreign Ministry on Sunday was the country’s first official reaction to the overthrow of Assad’s government by rebel forces, who reached capital Damascus over the weekend.
Iran has been a staunch supporter of Assad throughout the nearly 14-year civil war.
German Chancellor calls for speedy return of order in Syria
Sunday 8 December 2024 16:32 , Jabed AhmedReacting to the fall of Bashir Assad’s government, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that “what matters now is that law and order are quickly restored in Syria.”
“The Syrian people have experienced appalling suffering,” the chancellor said in an emailed statement. “The end of Assad’s rule over Syria is therefore good news.”
He stressed that “all religious communities, all minorities must enjoy protection now and in the future.”
“We will judge the future rulers by whether they make it possible for all Syrians to live in dignity and self-determination, defend Syria’s sovereignty against malicious interference by third parties and live in peace with their neighbors,” Scholz added.
Biden to meet national security team for Syria update
Sunday 8 December 2024 16:11 , Jabed AhmedUS President Joe Biden will meet with his national security team to receive an update on the situation in Syria, a White House spokesperson said in a post on X.
Hezbollah pulled all forces out of Syria on Saturday, two Lebanese security sources say
Sunday 8 December 2024 16:10 , Jabed AhmedLebanese armed group Hezbollah withdrew all of its forces from Syria on Saturday as rebel factions approached the capital Damascus, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters.
One of the sources said that the supervising forces that Hezbollah had deployed to Syria overnight between Thursday and Friday had been sent to oversee the pullback.
Egypt calls on all parties in Syria to preserve capabilities of state
Sunday 8 December 2024 15:52 , Jabed AhmedEgypt has called on all parties in Syria to preserve the capabilities of the state and national institutions, the Egyptian foreign ministry has said.
The foreign ministry, in the first comments on the situation in Syria from an Arab government, said it was following the situation with great care, affirming its support for the Syrian people and the country's sovereignty and unity.
France remains committed to security of all in Middle East, says Macron
Sunday 8 December 2024 15:31 , Jabed AhmedFrench President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed news of the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and said France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East.
"The barbaric state has fallen. Finally. I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience. In this moment of uncertainty, I wish them peace, freedom and unity," Macron said in a post on X.
"France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East."
Watch: Inside Syrian President Bashar al Assad's trashed private residence
Sunday 8 December 2024 15:13 , Jabed AhmedGroups of Syrians strolled through the palaces of President Bashar al-Assad following his ouster, wandering from room to room, posing for photographs, and with some taking items of furniture or ornaments.
Watch below:
The UK welcomes the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s ‘barbaric regime’, Starmer says
Sunday 8 December 2024 14:59 , Jabed AhmedSir Keir Starmer has called for all sides to protect civilians and ensure aid can reach the vulnerable as he responded to the overthrow of the Syrian regime.
The Prime Minister said: “The developments in Syria in recent hours and days are unprecedented, and we are speaking to our partners in the region and monitoring the situation closely.
“The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure.
“Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails and peace and stability is restored.
“We call on all sides to protect civilians and minorities, and ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable in the coming hours and days.”
France welcomes the fall of Bashar Assad
Sunday 8 December 2024 14:52 , Jabed AhmedThe French Foreign Affairs ministry said France “welcomes” the fall of Bashar Assad’s government “after more than 13 years of violent repression against its own people.”
The ministry said in a statement: “The Syrian people have suffered too much. Bashar Assad has bled dry country, emptied of a large part of its people who, if not forced into exile, have been massacred, tortured and bombarded with chemical weapons by the regime and its allies.”
France also called for a peaceful political transition that respects the diversity of the Syrian people and protects civilians and minorities and on its international partners to help the Syrian people move towards “reconciliation and reconstruction,” saying France is ready to “play its full part” in the process.
Pictured: Syrians living in Turkey celebrate the demise of the Assad regime
Sunday 8 December 2024 14:31 , Jabed Ahmed
Syrian opposition leader calls for 18 month transition period before elections
Sunday 8 December 2024 14:20 , Jabed AhmedSyria should have an 18 month transition period to establish “a safe, neutral, and quiet environment” for free elections, Hadi Al-Bahra, the head of Syria‘s main opposition abroad, has said.
The lightning offensive has sparked concerns in Arab capitals and raised fears of a new wave of regional instability, as well as questions over whether the rebels will be able to ensure an orderly transition.
Al-Bahra, President of the Syrian National Coalition, said Syria should draft a constitution within six months, on which the first election would be a referendum.
“The constitution will say, are we going to have a parliamentary system, presidential system, or mixed system? And based on this, we do the election and the people choose their leader,” Al-Bahra told Reuters.
He added that the opposition had asked state employees to continue to report to work until the power transition, and assured them that they would not be harmed.
Syrian state TV briefly resumes programs and hosts a rebel commander
Sunday 8 December 2024 14:09 , Jabed AhmedSyrian state TV briefly continued its programs, with an anchorman calling on all employees at the station to return to work adding that they are safe.
“This is Damascus, the capital of Syria where the gates of freedom have opened for the first time in many years. This is a historic day in Syria’s modern history” the anchorman said Sunday morning.
He later hosted Anas Salkhadi, a rebel commander among the fighters who stormed the capital. Salkhadi said that the rebels would protect state institutions.
“Our message to all the sects of Syria is that we tell them that Syria is for everyone,” Salkhadi said. “We will not do what Assad family did,” he said.
As Salkhadi spoke, the sound was cut and the broadcast suddenly stopped. A red banner then appeared on screen with writing in Arabic that said: “The victory of the great Syrian revolution and the fall of Assad’s criminal regime.”
German foreign minister warns Syria must not fall into the hands of radicals
Sunday 8 December 2024 13:51 , Jabed AhmedGerman Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed understanding for the relief Syrian people felt after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government, but warned that “the country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals.”
“Several hundred thousand Syrians have been killed in the civil war, millions have fled,” Baerbock said in a statement emailed by her office Sunday. “Assad has murdered, tortured and used poison gas against his own people. He must finally be held accountable for this.”
Baerbock also called “on the parties to the conflict to live up to their responsibility for all Syrians.”
“This includes the comprehensive protection of ethnic and religious minorities such as Kurds, Alawites or Christians and an inclusive political process that creates a balance between the groups,” the German foreign minister said.
Watch: UK welcomes reported fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, says Rayner
Sunday 8 December 2024 13:32 , Jabed AhmedIsrael's Netanyahu hails fall of Assad as 'historic day'
Sunday 8 December 2024 13:18 , Jabed AhmedIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the ousting of Syria‘s Bashar al-Assad as a “historic day” that followed the blows delivered by Israel against Assad’s supporters Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On a visit to the area near the border with Syria, he said he had ordered Israeli forces to seize areas in the buffer zone to ensure Israel’s security and said: “We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border”.
Moscow is still ready to help Syrians but civil war is their burden alone, says lawmaker
Sunday 8 December 2024 13:09 , Jabed AhmedSyrians will have to cope with a full-scale civil war alone, Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament has said.
Russia, a staunch Assad ally, intervened decisively in 2015 to prop him up during Syria's civil war. But with its military resources mostly tied down in Ukraine, Russia's ability to influence the situation on the ground was far more limited this time round - despite maintaining two military facilities in Syria - and it did not mobilise the same level of resources.
Kosachyov, a veteran Russian expert in international affairs, predicted that the civil war in Syria would not end with Assad’s departure and that tough times were ahead.
“Syria is a very difficult story, for everyone without exception. One way or another, the civil war will not end today, there are too many opposing interests and too many opposing forces. Including outright terrorist groups. And that is why the hardest part is ahead again,” Kosachyov wrote on his official Telegram channel.
“It’s a tragedy, I repeat, for everyone. And for us Russians, our primary task is to ensure the safety of our compatriots and civilians, including of our diplomats and their families, and, of course, of the military personnel who are there for the sake of Syria, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“If the people of Syria continue to need our support, it will be provided. But hardly in the context of a full-scale civil war. The Syrians will have to deal with that themselves,” he said.
Watch: Syrians celebrate in streets of Damascus as Assad Family's 50-Year rule ends
Sunday 8 December 2024 12:46 , Jabed AhmedSyrian rebels close to defeating Kurdish forces in Manbij, Turkish source says
Sunday 8 December 2024 12:31 , Jabed AhmedTurkey-backed Syrian forces have taken control of some 80 per cent of northern Syria's Manbij area and are close to victory against Kurdish forces there, a Turkish security source has said.
"The fight against the YPG/PKK is very close to victory. Both air and land interventions are ongoing to take Manbij from the hands of the YPG/PKK," the source told Reuters, referring to the Kurdish militia which has long been in control of Manbij.
Suspected Israeli strikes hit a part of Damascus, two security sources say
Sunday 8 December 2024 12:25 , Jabed AhmedSuspected Israeli airstrikes have hit the Mazzeh district of Damascus, security sources have said.
Additionally, jets believed to be Israeli bombed the Khalkhala air base in southern Syria that was evacuated by the Syrian army overnight, two regional security sources told Reuters.
The Israeli government had no comment on the reported strikes.
The regional security sources said at least six strikes hit the main air base in the north of the city of Suweida that has a large stockpile of rockets and missiles left by Syrian troops.
The attack appeared aimed at prevent these weapons from falling into the hands of radical groups, one source told Reuters.
Turkey says new Syrian administration must be inclusive
Sunday 8 December 2024 12:16 , Jabed AhmedTurkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that Syria's new administration must be inclusive because Syrian people would now determine their own future.
In a press conference in Doha, Mr Fidan said Syrian people were not in a position to rebuild on their own and that international actors and regional powers had to act with prudence and preserve its territorial integrity, warning that terrorist organisations must not be allowed to take advantage of the situation.
Asked about the whereabouts of Assad, Mr Fidan said he could not comment on the issue but that he believed he was out of the country. He also said Turkey had no contact with Assad despite a call from President Tayyip Erdogan to hold normalisation talks.
Trump says Russia abandoned Syria’s Assad and never should have been involved
Sunday 8 December 2024 11:59 , Jabed AhmedUS President-elect Donald Trump has said that Russia's abandonment of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad led to his downfall, adding Moscow never should have protected him in the first place.
"Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by (President) Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
"There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place," Trump wrote. "They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine ... a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."
Trump, who takes office on 20 January, added that Russia and Iran, Assad's other main backer, "are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success".
Russia says Syria's Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover
Sunday 8 December 2024 11:52 , Jabed AhmedThe Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had left office and departed the country after giving orders there be a peaceful handover of power.
In a statement, the ministry did not say where Assad was now and said Russia has not taken part in the talks around his departure.
“As a result of negotiations between B. Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power.
“Russia did not participate in these negotiations,” the ministry said.
Moscow was extremely worried by events in Syria and urged all sides to refrain from violence, it said.
“We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means,” the statement said.
“In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition.”
Pictured: Syrians celebrate as Assad government toppled
Sunday 8 December 2024 11:34 , Jabed Ahmed
Shadow minister Priti Patel warns of ‘anxiety’ around unfolding Syria crisis
Sunday 8 December 2024 11:17 , Jabed AhmedTory shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel has warned that the situation in Syria could take a turn for the worse with one of the organisations behind Assad’s fall proscribed as terrorists by the UK.
Dame Priti spoke to Sky News’ Sir Trevor Phillips from a security conference in Bahrain where she said delegates felt “anxiety” about the unfolding situation.
She said: “It is too early to know how this is going to pan out. Ultimately this is about the Syrian people.
“I think this is how we work together to influence the right kind of outcome, putting the Syrian people first.”
Dame Priti added: “There is a degree of anxiety across this region, full stop.”
She also warned that Assad’s legacy could still have ongoing negative consequences.
“There are wider questions about Assad’s regime, his weapons stocks and supplies.
We have a responsibility with our close friends and allies in this region on how we can take forward a peace plan.”
While she acknowledged that the Syrian rebels have NATO ally “Turkey’s footprint” on their actions she also warned that there is still “a longstanding issue of Iranian proxies in the region”.
Former MI6 chief says events in Syria will be a ‘surprise’ to UK Intelligence
Sunday 8 December 2024 11:02 , Jabed AhmedFormer head of MI6 Sir John Sawers has said the fall of the Assad regime in Syria will be a “surprise” to UK intelligence services.
He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I think it was a surprise to everyone, it probably came as a surprise to Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which have been the main rebel group involved in this march on Damascus, I don’t think they expected to go so far so fast.
“I think we’re all surprised at how the regime forces have just completely collapsed, even those most loyal to the regime and closest to the regime.
“So, yes, it is a surprise, it’s not a failure of intelligence, it’s a surprise to everyone.”
He added it would be “rather ridiculous” if the UK was unable to engage with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS) in Syria.
Profile: How Bashar al-Assad went from London doctor to Syria’s monstrous dictator
Sunday 8 December 2024 10:47 , Jabed AhmedAs Syrian rebels bring an end to the Assad family’s 50-year reign in Syria, Donald Macintyre looks at the man behind 12 years of civil war and bloodshed
How Bashar al-Assad went from London doctor to Syria’s monstrous dictator
US will remain present in eastern Syria and take measures to prevent IS resurgence, pentagon official says
Sunday 8 December 2024 10:28 , Jabed AhmedThe United States will continue to maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro has said.
Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain’s capital, Mr Shapiro called on all parties to protect civilians, particularly minorities, and respect international norms.
Watch moment Syrian rebels shoot down statue of former President Assad
Sunday 8 December 2024 10:13 , Jabed Ahmed
Watch moment Syrian rebels shoot down statue of former President Assad
Iraq evacuates embassy in Syria and moves staff to Lebanon, says Iraqi state news agency
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:59 , Jabed AhmedIraq has evacuated its embassy in Syria and moved staff to Lebanon, the Iraqi state news agency reported.
The reasons behind the evacuation were not made public.
It comes as Syrian rebels stormed the Iranian embassy following their capture of Damascus, Iran’s English-language Press TV reported.
Syrian rebels say they have started attack on Kurdish forces in northern town of Manbij
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:46 , Jabed AhmedSyrian rebels said they have started an attack on Kurdish-led forces in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, according to a statement posted on X by the Ministry of Defense of the Syrian Interim Government.
Mapped: Where have rebels taken control?
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:36 , Jabed AhmedCan the West afford for Syria’s dictator to be ousted?
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:30 , Shahana YasminThe sudden eruption of Islamist militants fighting is more than just a unexpected twist in a civil war, writes Mark Almond.
Where has Assad fled to?
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:14 , Jabed AhmedA Syrian Air plane took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was reported to have been taken by rebels, according to data from the Flightradar website.
The aircraft initially flew towards Syria’s coastal region, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect, but then made an abrupt U-turn and flew in the opposite direction for a few minutes before disappearing off the map.
It is not clear who was on the plane.
Two Syrian sources told Reuters there was a very high probability that Assad may have been killed in a plane crash as it was a mystery why the plane took a surprise U-turn and disappeared off the map according to data from the Flightradar website.
Angela Rayner welcomes fall of Assad
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:08 , Jabed AhmedDeputy prime minister Angela Rayner says the priority for Syria now is a political solution bringing democracy to Syria.
She told Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “If Assad has fallen and that regime is over I welcome that because he wasn’t good for the Syrian people.
“We need a political solution so we have long term stability for that country.”
She added: “We need stability and infrastructure protected. Far too many people in that region have lost their lives.
“The Foreign Secretary was very clear about UK civilians leaving Syria over the past week. We have a plan in action.”
Ms Rayner went on to raise the hope that “we can show democracy does work”.
She added: “We want to see the UN resolution implemented."
Watch live: Syrians living in Turkey celebrate after rebel forces take control of Damascus
Sunday 8 December 2024 09:00 , Shahana YasminSyrian rebel coalition says it is working to transfer power to transitional governing body
Sunday 8 December 2024 08:30 , Shahana YasminThe Syrian rebel coalition said it is continuing work to complete the transfer of power in Syria to a transitional governing body with full executive powers.
“The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people,” it added in a statement.
Qatar says will ‘fully’ support Syria political process under UN resolution
Sunday 8 December 2024 08:02 , Shahana YasminQatar’s minister of state Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi said his country will be “fully supporting the political process under UNSC resolution 2254,” reported Al Jazeera.
The UNSC Resolution 2254, adopted in 2015, calls for a ceasefire and political settlement in Syria.
“We are fully moving towards systematical, but also procedural steps that will provide stability to preserve unity and the territorial integrity of the Syrian people,” al-Khulaifi said at the Doha Forum, at a panel titled Taking the Stand: Strengthening International Humanitarian Law and Accountability.
“The conflict is between the Syrian regime and the Syrians themselves, not between Syria and other countries. Therefore we’re fully supporting any pathway that provide resolutions for those issues.”
Who are the opposition fighters and what happens now?
Sunday 8 December 2024 08:00 , Shahana YasminThis is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege.
The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on 27 November with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest.
Opposition fighters reportedly drive Syrian leader from the country. Who are they and what now?
Trump says Assad ‘fled his country’ after losing Russia’s support
Sunday 8 December 2024 07:50 , Shahana YasminUS president-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad had “fled his country” after losing the support of “protector Russia”.
“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer,” he posted on Truth Social.
“There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever. Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.
“Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”
How the Assad regime ended dramatically
Sunday 8 December 2024 07:40 , Shahana Yasmin
A recap of what has happened so far on a seismic morning for Syria:
- Syrian rebel fighters have claimed control of the capital Damascus, and have declared it “free of the tyrant Bashar al-Assad”.
- Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who ruled for 24 years after succeeding his father, took a flight from Damascus and has fled the country. It is unclear where he is.
- Prime minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said the government was ready to ‘extend its hand’ to the opposition, and that he remained at home in Damascus for transition talks.
- Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS) leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani said public institutions will “remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until [government] is handed over officially”.
- The Syrian army said its forces were continuing operations against “terrorist groups” in the countryside of Hama, Homs and Deraa, areas that have witnessed escalating clashes in recent days.
The Syrian insurgency will be felt across the Middle East and beyond
Sunday 8 December 2024 07:30 , Shahana YasminFears that the conflicts sparked by the 7 October attacks would embroil the region have, until now, proved unfounded – but the fall of Aleppo is a sign that simmering enmities are being exacerbated in ways that may yet have global consequences.
Read the full report:
The Syrian insurgency will be felt across the Middle East and beyond
Rebel forces celebrate in the central Syrian city of Homs
Sunday 8 December 2024 07:00 , Shahana Yasmin
Israeli military says it will not intervene in events in Syria
Sunday 8 December 2024 06:57 , Shahana YasminThe Israeli military has issued a statement saying that it does not plan to intervene in events taking place in Syria, reported Reuters.
It said it has deployed additional forces to its UN-monitored buffer zone with Syria and at a number of points necessary for defence in light of the latest events in the country.
Syrian PM says country should have free elections
Sunday 8 December 2024 06:38 , Shahana YasminThe Syrian prime minister said that Syria should have free elections so the Syrian people can choose who they want, reported Reuters.
He also told Al-Arabiya that he has had contact with rebel commander al-Golani on how to manage the current period.
Citizens topple a statue of late president Hafez al-Assad in Damascus
Sunday 8 December 2024 06:30 , Shahana Yasmin
Syrian army says operations ongoing against ‘terrorist groups’ in key regions
Sunday 8 December 2024 06:09 , Shahana YasminThe Syrian army said its forces were continuing to press ahead with military operations against “terrorist groups” in the countryside of Hama, Homs and Deraa, areas that have witnessed escalating clashes in recent days.
The statement comes after rebel forces announced on television that president Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown and all prisoners were to be freed.
Syria’s White Helmets say ‘the homeland is writing history today’
Sunday 8 December 2024 06:00 , Shahana YasminSyria’s White Helmets civil defence forces released a video statement on social media, calling it a historic day.
“The sun of freedom rises on the Syrians...the moment that has been long awaited for years...even decades...Syria, the homeland, is writing history today...Syria is on the path to justice...today is the day of work and construction,” a translation of the statement read.
شمس الحرية تشرق على السوريين….اللحظة التي طال انتظارها لسنوات…لا بل لعقود… سوريا الوطن تكتب التاريخ اليوم…سوريا على طريق العدالة… اليوم يوم العمل والبناء.#الخوذ_البيضاء #سوريا@RaedAlSaleh3 pic.twitter.com/poUvblb0YS
— الدفاع المدني السوري (@SyriaCivilDefe) December 8, 2024
Syrian opposition says country looks to ‘deepen ties’ with ‘friendly nations’
Sunday 8 December 2024 05:45 , Shahana YasminThe opposition has released a statement with their vision for “liberated Syria”, reported Al Jazeera.
“The liberated Syria looks to deepen ties with all the brotherly and friendly nations on the basis of mutual respect and interests,” the statement said. “We will aim to play a constructive role in the region and the world to achieve security and stability.”
Biden ‘closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria’
Sunday 8 December 2024 05:30 , Shahana YasminThe White House has released a statement on the events in Syria.
“President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett posted on X.
President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.
— Sean Savett (@NSC_Spox) December 8, 2024
Rebel leader says Syria’s public institutions to remain under PM
Sunday 8 December 2024 05:10 , Shahana YasminThe leader of the largest rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has called on rebel forces to leave state institutions unharmed and said they will remain under prime minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali’s supervision for now.
“To all military forces in the city of Damascus, it is strictly forbidden to approach public institutions, which will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over, and it is also forbidden to fire bullets into the air,” al-Jolani wrote on Telegram.
How Bashar al-Assad went from London doctor to Syria’s monstrous dictator
Sunday 8 December 2024 05:00 , Shahana Yasmin
How Bashar al-Assad went from London doctor to Syria’s monstrous dictator
It’s a safe bet that Bashar al-Assad will be judged by future historians to be among a handful of the most monstrous and murderous of 21st-century dictators. Yet it’s not impossible that had it not been for the car accident that killed his older brother Basel in 1994, this allegedly introverted person might have been today still working quietly as an ophthalmologist in London instead of being responsible for the deaths of at least 200,000 of his fellow Syrians.
Syrian prime minister says government ready to ‘extend its hand’ to opposition
Sunday 8 December 2024 04:52 , Shahana YasminSyrian prime minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government.
“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Mr Jalili said.
He added that he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property.
He did not address reports that President Assad had left the country.
In Pictures: Residents celebrate on Syria’s streets
Sunday 8 December 2024 04:48 , Shahana Yasmin
War observatory claims Assad has left the country
Sunday 8 December 2024 04:38 , Shahana YasminRami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that President Bashar al-Assad has left the country and took a flight on Sunday from Damascus.
State television in Iran reported that Mr Assad had left the capital, citing Al Jazeera.
Syrian rebels say they have entered Damascus as Assad regime’s defense crumbles
Sunday 8 December 2024 04:32 , Shahana YasminRebel fighters in Syria announced they entered the capital city of Damascus on Sunday, after seizing control of several other cities as part of the effort to take down President Bashar al-Assad.
Just before dawn, insurgents appeared to be entering the city, according to photos and videos posted on social media.
The development is the latest in the offensive movement that Syrian rebels ignited less than two weeks ago in an attempt to challenge al-Assad’s rule, which has been a conflict since 2011.
Good morning and welcome to our live blog on the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, following a lightning offensive by rebel groups.
