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Syrians celebrate as Bashar Assad flees, marking the end of 50 years of rule

Reports say that Bashar Assad and other Syrian leaders have left the country.

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On Sunday, crowds filled the streets of Damascus, Syria’s capital, celebrating the fall of President Bashar Assad’s 50-year rule.

On Sunday, crowds filled the streets of Damascus, Syria’s capital, celebrating the fall of President Bashar Assad’s 50-year rule. People were chanting, praying, and even firing guns in celebration. After years of fighting, opposition forces managed to break through and take control of the capital. 

This marked the end of Assad's brutal rule, but it has left many wondering about Syria's future and the wider impact on the Middle East.

Reports say that Bashar Assad and other Syrian leaders have left the country. Their whereabouts are currently unknown. 

Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Assad resigned after holding talks with rebel groups. These talks, according to Russia, aimed at peacefully transferring power. However, Russia says it did not take part in these discussions. The Russian government said it is watching the situation in Syria with great concern.

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that they don’t know where Assad is either. President Joe Biden held a meeting with his national security team to discuss the situation. This sudden shift in Syria’s leadership has shocked both the country and the world.

The fall of Assad’s government marks a major milestone in the ongoing Syrian civil war. Opposition forces had not reached Damascus since 2018, when Syrian government troops regained parts of the capital. 

The leader of the largest rebel group in Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, visited Damascus' famous Umayyad Mosque on Sunday. There, he declared that the victory was for the "Islamic nation." He also accused Assad of turning Syria into a puppet for Iran and using the country to produce illegal drugs like Captagon.

In the aftermath of Assad's departure, many citizens walked into the presidential palace, taking anything they could find, including plates and household items. Mohammed Amer Al-Oulabi, a 44-year-old worker from the electricity sector, said he had stayed awake all night, eagerly awaiting news of Assad's fall. "From Idlib to Damascus, it only took them (the opposition forces) a few days," he said, expressing his joy.

 

The situation in Syria has sparked concern in neighboring countries as well. Lebanon closed most of its border crossings with Syria, keeping only one open between Beirut and Damascus. Jordan also closed its border with Syria.

Now, the opposition forces face a huge challenge. Syria has been torn apart by war, and the country is still divided among many different groups. 

Some opposition fighters are aligned with Turkey, while others are battling U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in the north. There are also still pockets of the Islamic State (ISIS) group active in remote areas. Rebuilding the country and uniting the people will be a difficult task.

On Sunday, Syrian state TV aired a message from rebels who claimed that Assad had been overthrown. The rebels said that all prisoners had been freed and called on Syrians to preserve the institutions of a "free Syrian state."

 

Global Reactions

 

Countries around the world have reacted to Assad's downfall in different ways. Iran, which had strongly supported Assad, called for Syrians to decide their own future, without foreign interference.

Geir Pedersen, the United Nations' special envoy for Syria, urged for talks in Geneva to ensure a smooth and peaceful political transition. Meanwhile, Qatar, which has played a key role in the region, hosted a meeting with officials from countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Turkey to discuss the future of Syria.

In the West, the reaction has been more mixed. The French government welcomed the fall of Assad, describing his government as one that had brutally oppressed the Syrian people for years. France noted that Assad’s regime had caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and forced millions to flee their homes.

Germany also expressed support for the Syrian people’s relief but warned that Syria must not fall into the hands of other extremist groups. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, "The country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals."

In Germany, which has the largest Syrian diaspora in Europe, many Syrians celebrated Assad's downfall. In Berlin, crowds honked car horns, waved Syrian opposition flags, and expressed their joy. Ahmed, a 39-year-old man who fled Syria in 2015, said, "The dictatorship is over. Assad has gone."

The civil war in Syria began in 2011 after a pro-democracy protest calling for the end of Assad's rule quickly escalated into a full-scale conflict. Over the years, this war has killed over 500,000 people and displaced more than 12 million Syrians, turning Syria into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Now that Assad is gone, many Syrians are hopeful that the country will find peace, but the road ahead remains uncertain. The future of Syria depends on how the opposition groups can work together and rebuild a nation torn apart by years of war. Only time will tell if peace can truly return to this war-torn country.

 

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