Syrian rebels announced the end of Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year authoritarian regime, broadcasting their victory on state television after a rapid and unexpected offensive that stunned the international community.
According to reports from a Syrian officer who spoke to Reuters, the army command informed its personnel that Assad’s rule had concluded.
However, the Syrian military later stated it was still conducting operations against “terrorist groups” in key regions like Hama, Homs, and the Deraa countryside.
The rebels declared that Damascus was “now free of Assad” and called on Syrians abroad to return to a liberated homeland, proclaiming that the nation was finally rid of the “tyrant.” In a message shared on Telegram, they stated:
“After 50 years of oppression under Baath rule, and 13 years of crimes, tyranny, and forced displacement… we announce today the end of this dark period and the start of a new era for Syria.”
As news of the regime’s collapse spread, thousands of citizens took to the streets in Damascus, waving flags and chanting “Freedom,” eyewitnesses reported.
Two senior military officers told Reuters that Assad left Damascus for an undisclosed location just as rebels entered the capital.
Flight radar data showed a Syrian aeroplane departing Damascus around the same time. The plane initially headed toward Syria’s coastal region — an Alawite stronghold — before abruptly changing course and disappearing from tracking systems. It remains unclear who was on board.
The rebels also celebrated the liberation of prisoners from the notorious Sednaya prison, a detention center on the outskirts of Damascus known for housing thousands of government detainees.
While the world awaits further developments, this sudden turn of events marks a potential end to one of the Middle East’s longest-running conflicts.
