Less than two weeks after the start of their dazzling offensive in Syria, rebels, led by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, brought down President Bashar al-Assad, who is believed to have fled the country, ending five decades of unchallenged rule by the Assad family. The Prime Minister says he is ready for any “ handover » power and to cooperate with the “ leadership » what will the people choose.
What to remember:
■ On November 27, a coalition of rebels, led by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched an offensive from its stronghold in Idlib, in northwest Syria, seizing dozens of localities and strategic towns of Aleppo, in the north, and Hama, in the center. On the evening of December 7, they took control of Homs, the country’s third city, then entered Damascus.
■ During the night from Saturday to Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an NGO based in London, and several rebel groups announced the flight of Bashar al-Assad abroad. Remaining in Syria, Prime Minister Mohamed al-Jalali says he is ready for any “ handover » of power and to « cooperate » with all new « leadership » chosen by the people.
■ A few hours before these events, Turkish leaders met their Iranian and Russian counterparts in Doha, Qatar, during the day on Saturday. The three countries are stakeholders in the Astana process, established in 2017 with the aim of ending the civil war in Syria. At the end of the meeting, Ankara said it wanted peace to return to Syria. For its part, the UN called for avoiding a “ bloodbath » in the country.
Times are given in universal time (UT)
1:35 p.m.: Islamist rebels announce the arrival of their leader in Damascus
Syrian Islamist rebels announced on Sunday the arrival of their leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a few hours after the fall of the Syrian capital to the armed rebellion. “ Leader Ahmed al-Chareh (Jolani’s real name) prostrated and kissed the ground » upon his arrival in Damascus, announced the Telegram channel of the rebel coalition, led by his formation. In the images, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) can be seen prostrating himself on a lawn.
1:00 p.m.: Listen again to our mid-day specials on the fall of Bashar al-Assad
Syria special edition – 1:35 p.m.-2 p.m.
Syria special edition – 1:10 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
12:52 p.m.: What we know about the situation in Damascus, a few hours after the rebels entered the capital
Rebel forces continue their deployment in Damascus and take control of sensitive state sites in the capital and its outskirts, a few hours after the fall of the regime and the departure of President Bashar el-Assad, reports our correspondent in Lebanon, Paul Khalifeh. Two powerful explosions were heard late in the morning in the upscale Mazzé neighborhood in central Damascus. The announcement by the Israeli army of a raid against arms and ammunition depots at the Mazzé military airport could explain these explosions which resonated throughout the Syrian capital.
A capital which still lives to the rhythm of the celebrations of the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Civilians and rebel fighters dance, sing and shoot into the air in public squares. Hundreds of political detainees have been released from the notorious Sayednaya and “Palestine Branch” prisons. Some, imprisoned for many years, could not believe that the regime had fallen. The only notable incidents were the burning of security services buildings in the Kfarsoussa district and the ransacking of the Iranian embassy, whose staff had been evacuated before the fall of the regime.
Meanwhile, rebel leaders are working to ensure an organized transition in coordination with Prime Minister Mohammad al-Jalali, appointed by Bashar al-Assad in September. The head of HTS, spearhead of the rebel movement, Ahmad al-Chareh, declared that all “ Syrian state institutions will be supervised by the former head of government until they are officially handed over », to the new authorities.
In a video that circulated on social networks, we can see Mohamed al-Jalali, flanked by rebel fighters who escorted him to the Four Seasons hotel, to meet the leaders of the rebellion.
12:35 p.m.: “ The state of barbarism has fallen », welcomes Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Sunday that “the state of barbarism ” either ” fall » in Syria with the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, but he stressed that France would remain “ committed to the safety of all » in the region. “ The state of barbarism has fallen. Finally “, greeted the Head of State on the social network France will remain committed to the security of all in the Middle East “, he added, given the uncertainties surrounding this change of regime.
12:20 p.m.: Russian military bases in Syria in “ alert state » but not “ serious threat »
Russia said on Sunday that its military bases in Syria were “in alert state » while ensuring that no « serious threat » currently weighs on them, despite the dazzling offensive of rebel groups led by radical Islamists. “ Russian military bases on Syrian territory are on alert. There is currently no serious threat to their security », Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Telegram.
12:06 p.m.: Russia says Assad has “ resigned from his position » and left the country
The Kremlin said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had “ resigned from his position » and left Syria, after the dazzling offensive by rebel groups led by radical Islamists which routed his army. “ Following negotiations between Bashar al-Assad with a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of Syria, he decided to resign from his presidential post and left the country with instructions to carry out the transfer of power from peaceful way “said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
12:02 p.m.: Syrians film themselves in Assad’s house looted in Damascus
According to an AFP journalist, dozens of Syrians entered the residence of President Bashar al-Assad after it was looted, in an upscale neighborhood of the capital Damascus, taken by rebels. Men, women and children roamed the six-story building, where documents were scattered on the stairs. A painting depicting Assad lay on the ground at the entrance to the ground floor, surrounded by a vast garden, according to the journalist.
11:45 a.m.: The Lebanese army says it is strengthening its presence on the border with Syria after the fall of Assad
The Lebanese army announced it was strengthening its presence on the border with Syria on Sunday, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad and the capture of the capital Damascus by rebels. “ In the context of the rapid developments and delicate circumstances that the region is going through (…), the units responsible for monitoring the northern and eastern borders have been strengthened and stricter control measures have been put in place “, the army said in a statement.
Lebanese authorities say they are welcoming some two million Syrians who fled the civil war that broke out in their country in 2011, the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. Nearly 800,000 are registered with the United Nations. In Masnaa, the main cross-border crossing between the two countries, an AFP journalist saw dozens of cars of Syrians returning home, to the cheers of the crowd chanting anti-Assad slogans.
Videos bear witness to the tension at the border, like that of this Al Jazeera journalist.
11:34 a.m.: Turkey says it is in contact with Syrian rebels to guarantee security
The head of Turkish diplomacy said on Sunday that his country was in contact with rebels in Syria to ensure that the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) do not take advantage of the fall of the Damascus regime to extend their influence. “ We must be vigilant during this transition period. We are communicating with the groups to ensure that terrorist organizations, particularly Daesh and the PKK, do not take advantage of the situation », Declared Hakan Fidan, during the Doha Forum in Qatar. The minister clarified before the Doha Forum in Qatar that Turkey had worked with the Syrians and regional and international actors to “assure the countries of the region that the new administration and the new Syria will not pose a threat to the neighbors and that on the contrary, the new Syria will tackle existing problems and eliminate threats.”
11:23 a.m.: France “ welcomes the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime »
France ” welcomes the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime ” After ” more than 13 years of extremely violent repression against its own people », Reacted Sunday the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Christophe Lemoine. Paris “ calls for the silence of arms, the preservation of state institutions, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, (…) a peaceful political transition respectful of the diversity of the Syrian people, which protects civilians and all minorities, in accordance with international law, (…) all Syrians to unity, reconciliation, and to reject all forms of extremism », he continues in a press release.