Syrian rebel forces announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Damascus was “free” and claimed that President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital, marking the historic end of the Assad family’s 50-year rule, hours after the fall of Homs.
“We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” wrote the Military Operations Command in a post on Telegram.
With the announcement, celebrations broke out in Aleppo and Damascus.
“To the displaced all over the world, a free Syria awaits you,” said the message.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali said he was willing to “cooperate” with any leadership that people choose, and is ready for any handover process.
“This country can be a normal country that builds good relations with its neighbours and the world… but this issue is up to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people. We are ready to cooperate with it (that leadership) and offer all possible facilities,” said Jalali in a video statement shared on his Facebook account.
“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said in the statement, made after rebels announced that President Assad had fled from Syria to an unknown destination.
Earlier, the rebels stormed into the capital and took control of the notorious Saydnaya Military Prison, located in the north of Damascus.
“We broke the news to the Syrian people of liberating our prisoners and unchaining them, and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Saydnaya Prison,” said the rebels in the statement.
Now, the rebels are capturing state media offices in Damascus. “The Military Operations Command is moving to seize control of the Radio and Television Building to broadcast the victory announcement over Assad,” read the statement.
The Damascus airport is in chaos amid the storming of the capital by the rebel forces.
No imminent departures were seen on the flight monitoring websites as the airport looked largely unstaffed.
Syrian rebels capture Homs
Earlier, the leader of Syria’s main rebel group announced that they had taken control of Syria’s third-largest city, Homs.
Watch: Syrian Rebels Eye Damascus After Fall of Three Key Cities
Abu Mohammed al-Golani said the capture of Homs was a “historic victory” and appealed to his followers not to hurt those who had chosen to surrender.
There has been renewed fighting in the last few days in Syria’s civil war, in which more than 300,000 people have lost their lives and around six million refugees have left the country since it started in 2011.
(With inputs from agencies)
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