Syrian rebels: We have taken control of Damascus, the country is free

2024-12-08 08:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Syrian rebels claimed early in the morning of December 8 that they have taken control of the capital, Damascus, after a rapid offensive launched in recent days.

Damascus is "now free from Assad", the rebels said in a statement published on social networks.

President Bashar al-Assad's whereabouts are unknown, although the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Assad had flown on a plane from Damascus and left the country early on the morning of December 8. It did not say where Assad had traveled.

This report could not be confirmed, but Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said in a video that the government is "ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people."

"We believe that Syria is for all Syrians and that it is the country of all its sons, and that this country can be a normal state that builds good relations with its neighbors and the world without being involved in any regional alliance or bloc." , al-Jalali said, adding that he was still at home in Damascus and had not fled.

Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said late on December 7 that rebel fighters were "in the final moments of liberating Homs," a city of 775,000.

HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union.

Experts said the fall of the Assad regime would represent a major geopolitical loss for the Kremlin, which along with Tehran has supported the Syrian government throughout the civil war that began in 2011.

The US-based Institute for the Study of War said "the Assad regime's forces have collapsed and Assad's supporters appear unwilling to support the Syrian Arab Army, immediately deploying additional forces."

Russia has several military installations in Syria, including an air base in Hmeimim and a strategic naval base in Tartus, bases that have also been used to support the Kremlin's actions in Africa.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying it was "not in anyone's interest to speculate."

The Institute for the Study of War said Moscow had not yet evacuated the base, "but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep ships in port as Syrian rebels continue to rapidly advance into regime-held territory."

The US State Department told RFE/RL on December 7 that Washington was closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria.

A spokesman said the United States and its partners and allies called for civilians, including members of minority groups, to be protected.

The spokesman said it was time to negotiate an end to the Syrian conflict in accordance with the principles set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. He added that the Assad regime's refusal to participate in this process has directly led to the current situation.

Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump said the United States "should have nothing to do" with the war in Syria, where a small contingent of US forces continues to be deployed in some areas.

The surprise offensive was launched last week by a coalition of rebel groups. The offensive is led by HTS.

In addition to HTS, the offensive also includes fighters from the umbrella group of Syrian militias supported by Turkey, called the Syrian National Army. Turkey denies that it supports the offensive, although experts say that the insurgents would not be involved in it without the agreement of this country.

On December 6, the United Nations said almost 300,000 people in Syria had been displaced since late November by the fighting, adding that up to 1.5 million people could be displaced as rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad. , but also to his allies, Russia and Iran.

Assad has depended on Iran and Russia to stay in power since the conflict erupted in 2011.

Since the rebels took control of Aleppo a week ago, they have taken other major cities as Assad's forces put up little resistance./REL