In a significant development, Syria’s army command informed officers on Sunday that President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year authoritarian rule has come to an end, according to a Reuters report citing a Syrian officer.
According to international media, this follows a surprise rebel offensive that quickly overtook the country. Syrian rebels, who declared that “Damascus is now free of Assad,” are expected to broadcast their first statement to the nation on state television, according to two rebel sources.
Is Bashar al-Assad dead?
Reports are circulating that the plane carrying President Bashar al-Assad has crashed, following earlier claims that he fled the country with his family. However, MM News has not yet independently verified the crash.
Earlier on Sunday, Assad, who had suppressed all dissent, departed Damascus for an undisclosed location. Rebels reported entering the capital without encountering any army presence. Thousands gathered in central Damascus, chanting “Freedom” and celebrating the end of over fifty years of Assad family rule, according to witnesses.
This dramatic turn of events marks a pivotal moment for the Middle East, signaling the collapse of the Assad family’s iron-fisted rule and delivering a major blow to Russia and Iran, who have lost a key regional ally.
“We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and ending the era of injustice at Sednaya prison,” the rebels stated, referring to a notorious military prison near Damascus where thousands were detained by the Syrian government.
Flight data from Flightradar showed a Syrian Air plane departing Damascus airport around the time the capital was reportedly overtaken by rebels.
The head of Syria’s main opposition group abroad, Hadi al-Bahra, declared that Damascus was now “without Bashar al-Assad.”
