Ousted Syrian president Assad ‘granted asylum’ in Moscow – as rebels ‘guarantee safety’ of Russian military bases

Mr Assad left the Syrian capital of Damascus after his government fell following a lightning offensive by anti-regime forces across the country – bringing his 24-year rule to an end.

His whereabouts, as well as those of his wife Asma and their two children, were initially unknown. Russia said Mr Assad had left Syria after negotiations with the rebel groups.

As the former president fled, footage on social media showed families gleefully ransacking presidential palaces in Damascus, with some taking selfies in the grand settings, as thousands celebrated in the streets.

People also entered a building near the Damascus palaces, which housed luxury cars thought to belong to the former president.

In videos shared online, people could be seen driving in around inside a garage, past rows of red sports cars and huge 4x4s.

Thousands of Syrians, in cars and on foot, also gathered in a main square in Damascus chanting for freedom.

In the key city of Homs – which rebel fighters seized after just a day of fighting – thousands more filled the streets after the army withdrew, dancing and shouting “Assad is gone, Homs is free”, and “Long live Syria and down with Bashar al Assad”.

Celebratory scenes have also broken out in other countries around the world, with Syrians gathering to mark the historic occasion in cities such as Madrid, Manchester, and Tripoli in northern Lebanon.

The fall of Mr Assad’s regime marks a turning point for Syria after 13 years of civil conflict. It had faced a battle on three fronts – Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) from the north, the Southern Front, and a Kurdish group in the east.

HTS is a Sunni Islamist militant faction, once known as the Nusra Front, which had links to al Qaeda.

It has long been designated a terrorist group by the US. In 2016, it cut its ties with al Qaeda in an effort to appear moderate.

Syrian rebels, made up of the various opposition groups, said they were working to transition power to a new governing body with full executive powers.

“The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people,” the coalition said in a statement, describing events as a new birth for “great Syria”.

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al Jolani, who led the insurgency, declared “the future is ours” in a statement read out on Syrian state TV.

He said there was “no room for turning back” and his group was “determined” to continue on the path it started in 2011.

Addressing a crowd inside the sprawling Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, he later described the fall of Assad as a “victory to the Islamic nation”.

“A new history, my brothers, is being written in the entire region after this great victory,” he added.

World leaders react to Assad’s fall

Russia – which, alongside Iran, helped prop up the Assad regime – has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Syria, a Kremlin official posted on Telegram.

Elsewhere, US President Joe Biden labelled Mr Assad’s fall a “fundamental act of justice” but also “a moment of risk”, and Sir Keir Starmer called for all sides to protect civilians and ensure aid reaches the vulnerable.

“The developments in Syria in recent hours and days are unprecedented, and we are speaking to our partners in the region and monitoring the situation closely,” the British PM said.

“The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure. Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails and peace and stability is restored.”

Sir Keir is due to hold talks later with leaders in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

US president-elect Donald Trump said the States should not get involved in the conflict as Syria “is not our friend” in a post on Truth Social.

In a fresh update on Sunday morning – before it was confirmed Mr Assad had been given asylum in Moscow – he added: “Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.

“Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success.”

Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus – reports

Meanwhile, Israel has conducted three airstrikes against a major security complex in Damascus, two regional security sources have told Reuters.

The IDF has also targeted a research centre in the Syrian capital, they said. According to Israel, the centre was used by Iranian scientists to develop missiles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had hailed the ousting of Mr Assad as a “historic day”.

On a visit to the area near the border with Syria, he said he had ordered Israeli forces to seize a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, adding: “We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.”

Mr Netanyahu said this was necessary to “ensure the protection of all Israeli communities in the Golan Heights” after Syrian soldiers abandoned their positions there.

The Golan area was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, and later annexed. The international community, except the US, views it as occupied territory.

Source:Sky News