Syrian Regime Toppled as Rebel Forces Seize Damascus in Stunning Advance.
In a stunning development that has shaken the region, Syrian rebel forces have claimed to have entered the capital city of Damascus, effectively toppling the long-standing regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
This lightning-fast offensive marks the first time that opposition forces have reached Damascus since 2018, when government troops regained control of areas on the outskirts of the capital following a prolonged siege.
The sheer speed of the rebel advance has taken everyone by surprise, with cities falling to the opposition one after another in a matter of just 24 hours.
The turning point appears to have been the rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) breaking through the defenses of Aleppo last week, which then opened the floodgates for a stunning offensive.
Early on Sunday, the rebel forces took over the Sednaya prison on the outskirts of Damascus, freeing all the prisoners, a move that was seen as the signal that the Assad family’s reign was finally coming to an end.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Assad had fled Damascus and taken a flight out of the country. However, there has been no immediate official statement from the Syrian government regarding the president’s whereabouts.
HTS has issued a statement claiming that they have “freed Damascus from Assad” and have instructed their fighters not to harm public buildings in the city, which have been placed under the control of former Prime Minister Ghazi al-Jalali for the time being.
Jalali has released a statement saying that the government is ready to extend a hand to the opposition and hand over the governance of the country.
The rapidly unfolding events have sent shockwaves across the region, with neighboring countries like Lebanon and Jordan closing their border crossings with Syria in response to the situation.
This stunning reversal of fortunes for the Assad regime, which had managed to cling to power for over a decade despite a devastating civil war, has left the future of Syria hanging in the balance as the opposition forces consolidate their control over the capital and the country.
