Syria’s armed opposition has declared the capture of Damascus and the removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power.
As of Sunday morning, al-Assad’s whereabouts remain unknown, with reports from the opposition suggesting he has fled the country. Reuters cited two military sources confirming that the president’s plane departed Syria for an undisclosed location.
According to NAIJALOG, the opposition, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has recently achieved significant victories, seizing key cities such as Aleppo and Homs.
HTS commander Abu Mohammed al-Julani announced on Sunday that state institutions would temporarily remain under the control of Prime Minister Mohammad al-Jalali until a formal transition takes place, Al-Jazeera reported.
HTS and other opposition factions are widely believed to have the backing of Turkey, whose president has been a vocal critic of al-Assad since the Arab Spring.
On Saturday, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump commented on X (formerly Twitter), welcoming al-Assad’s fall but cautioning against U.S. involvement in the crisis.
The loss of al-Assad is a significant setback for Iran and Russia, who have been key allies of his regime, providing military and logistical support against rebel forces. However, with Russia entangled in its conflict with Ukraine and Iran grappling with domestic unrest and the threat of conflict with Israel, al-Assad’s government has struggled to maintain control independently.