Syrians at home and refugees abroad experienced a historic day on Sunday, as they awoke to news of the collapse of the Assad regime that had ruled the country for more than five decades.
Forces led by Abu Mohammed Al-Golani of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, or HTS, took control of the capital Damascus on Sunday morning, the culmination of a rapid attack that began with the taking of Aleppo less than two weeks ago.
Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Al-Jalali was seen being escorted by Al-Golani’s men to a meeting in which he reportedly handed over power, while anti-regime groups announced on state TV that President Bashar Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners released.
Assad and his family arrived in Russia and were granted asylum by the Russian authorities, Russian news agencies reported, citing a Kremlin source.
The Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying: “President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow.
Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the Israeli military to “seize” a demilitarized buffer zone on the Golan Heights-Syria border as a result of the overthrow of Assad.
“We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” he said.
Netanyahu said the events in Syria were “a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah.”
A US National Security Council spokesperson posted on social media that “President (Joe) Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.”
“The United States will continue to maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of ISIS,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro told the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain.
For ordinary Syrians, the end of Assad’s reign offers a ray of hope. After nearly thirteen years of conflict, the country finds some changes still not knowing what their future will be. The liberation of Saydnaya prison, infamous for its human rights abuses, where several opposition Syrian people to Asad’s regime were kept the rebels are trying to locate and rescue hundreds of detainees.
They have asked former prison staff to assist in unlocking hidden facilities. Humanitarian organisations, including the White Helmets, are stepping up to address the immediate needs of civilians. Rebel authorities are tasked with restoring order, reopening key services, and preventing further violence as regional media reported.
The fall of the Assad regime marks a key moment for Syria and West Asia, but the road ahead is fraught with challenges. Rebel leaders, particularly Ahmed al-Sharaa, face intense scrutiny as they transition from armed resistance to governance.
The international community is keeping an eye on the fast-changing developments. For now, the people of Syria stand at a crossroads, their future shaped by the decisions of both domestic leaders and global powers. Syria needs the immense task of rebuilding a nation massively damaged by war.
