Syrian rebels introduced on state tv on Sunday that they’ve ousted President Bashar al-Assad, eliminating a 50-year household dynasty in a lightning offensive that raises the spectre of a brand new wave of instability in a Center East gripped by warfare.
Syria’s military command notified officers on Sunday that Assad’s regime had ended, a Syrian officer who was knowledgeable of the transfer advised Reuters.
However the Syrian military later mentioned it was persevering with operations in opposition to “terrorist teams” in the important thing cities of Hama and Homs and in Deraa countryside.
Assad, who had crushed all types of dissent, flew out of Damascus for an unknown vacation spot earlier on Sunday, two senior military officers advised Reuters, as rebels mentioned they’d entered the capital with no signal of military deployments.
“We rejoice with the Syrian folks the information of releasing our prisoners and releasing their chains and asserting the tip of the period of injustice in Sednaya jail,” the rebels mentioned, referring to a big army jail on the outskirts of Damascus the place the Syrian authorities detained 1000’s.
Hundreds in vehicles and on foot congregated at a major sq. in Damascus waving and chanting “Freedom” from a half century of Assad household rule, witnesses mentioned.
The dramatic collapse additionally marks a seismic second for the Center East, dealing a large blow to Russia and Iran, which have misplaced a key ally on the coronary heart of the area and creating extra uncertainty because the Gaza warfare rages.
The tempo of occasions has surprised Arab capitals and raised fears of a brand new wave of regional instability.
It marks a turning level for Syria, shattered by greater than 13 years of warfare which has turned cities to rubble, killed tons of of 1000’s of individuals, and compelled thousands and thousands overseas as refugees.
Stabilising western areas of Syria captured within the rebels’ advance can be key. Western governments, which have shunned the Assad-led state for years, should resolve methods to take care of a brand new administration by which a globally designated terrorist group – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – appears to be like set to have affect.
HTS, which spearheaded the insurgent advances throughout western Syria, was previously an al Qaeda affiliate generally known as the Nusra Entrance till its chief Abu Mohammed al-Golani, severed ties with the worldwide jihadist motion in 2016.
“The actual query is how orderly will this transition be, and it appears fairly clear that Golani may be very looking forward to it to be an orderly one,” mentioned Joshua Landis, a Syria knowledgeable and Director of the Middle for Center East Research on the College of Oklahoma.
Golani won’t desire a repeat of the chaos that swept Iraq after U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. “They’re going to must rebuild … they’ll want Europe and the U.S. to raise sanctions,” Landis mentioned.
HTS is Syria’s strongest insurgent group and a few Syrians stay fearful it’ll impose draconian Islamist rule or instigate reprisals.
Nations just like the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, each shut U.S. allies, see Islamist militant teams as an existential risk, so HTS might face resistance from regional powers.
In a convention in Manama, Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the United Arab Emirates president, mentioned a major concern for that nation is “extremism and terrorism.”
A Syrian Air airplane took off from Damascus airport across the time the capital was reported to have been taken by rebels, in line with knowledge from the Flightradar web site.
The plane initially flew in direction of Syria’s coastal area, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect, however then made an abrupt U-turn and flew in the wrong way for a couple of minutes earlier than disappearing off the map.
Reuters couldn’t instantly verify who was on board.
Two Syrian sources mentioned there was a really excessive chance that Assad might have been killed in a airplane crash because it was a thriller why the airplane took a shock U flip and disappeared off the map in line with knowledge from the Flightradar web site.
“It disappeared off the radar, probably the transponder was switched off, however I consider the larger chance is that the plane was taken down…,” mentioned one Syrian supply with out elaborating.
As Syrians expressed pleasure, Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali mentioned the nation ought to have free elections so Syrians can select who they need.
However that will require a clean transition in a rustic with advanced competing pursuits, from Islamists to teams with hyperlinks to america, Russia and Turkey.
Jalali additionally mentioned he had been in touch with insurgent commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani to debate managing the present transitional interval, marking a notable growth in efforts to form Syria’s political future.
Jordan affirmed on Sunday the significance of preserving the steadiness and safety of Syria, the state information company reported.
U.S. President Joe Biden and his workforce had been monitoring the “extraordinary occasions in Syria” and had been in contact with regional companions, the White Home mentioned.
Syria’s civil warfare, which erupted in 2011 as an rebellion in opposition to Assad’s rule, dragged in large outdoors powers, created house for jihadist militants to plot assaults world wide and despatched thousands and thousands of refugees into neighbouring states.
The frontlines of Syria’s advanced civil warfare had been dormant for years. Then Islamists as soon as affiliated with Al Qaeda abruptly burst into motion, posing the most important problem to Assad, who had survived years of gruelling warfare and worldwide isolation with the assistance of Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
However Assad’s allies had been focussed on and weakened by different crises, leaving Assad on the mercy of his opponents with a military that was not ready to defend him.
Israel, which has severely weakened the Iran-backed teams Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, will doubtless rejoice the autumn of Assad, one other of Iran’s key regional allies. However the prospects of an Islamist group ruling Syria will doubtless elevate considerations.
Hundreds of Homs residents poured onto the streets after the military withdrew from the central metropolis, dancing and chanting “Assad is gone, Homs is free” and “Lengthy dwell Syria and down with Bashar al-Assad”.
Rebels fired into the air in celebration, and youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, whose territorial management has collapsed in a dizzying week-long retreat by the army.
The autumn of Homs gave the insurgents management over Syria’s strategic heartland and a key freeway crossroads, severing Damascus from the coastal area that’s the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and the place his Russian allies have a naval base and air base.
Homs’ seize can be a strong image of the insurgent motion’s dramatic comeback. Swathes of Homs had been destroyed by gruelling siege warfare between the rebels and the military years in the past. The combating floor down the insurgents, who had been compelled out.
Rebels freed 1000’s of detainees from town jail. Safety forces left in haste after burning their paperwork.
The top of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces Mazloum Abdi mentioned on Sunday on X: “We’re witnessing historic moments in Syria because the authoritarian regime in Damascus falls. This variation presents a chance to construct a brand new Syria based on democracy and justice, guaranteeing the rights of all Syrians.”
