Locals gather on a street in Damascus, Syria, December 8, 2024.
DAMASCUS, Dec 8 - In a stunning turn of events, opposition forces in Syria took control of the capital Damascus on Sunday after a swift offensive that saw major Syrian cities fall like dominoes in a matter of days.
After taking power, opposition fighters took to state television channels to announce what they described as the fall of Damascus and the end of President Bashar Assad's rule.
A man in a military uniform, surrounded by armed fighters, read out a statement on air which he called "Declaration No. 1". He claimed that rebel forces had captured Damascus.
Opposition activists said rebel fighters entered the Syrian capital at dawn on Sunday, according to the Britain-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Monitor reported that hundreds of government soldiers were ordered to withdraw from Damascus International Airport and were seen taking off their military uniforms and putting on civilian clothes.
Several media outlets, citing rebel forces, reported that Assad had left the country.
Xinhua reporters in Damascus witnessed intense gunfire echoing through the streets, with heavy traffic caused by cars leaving the capital.
Civilians took to the streets waving the "flag of revolution", the older flag used in Syria before the rule of Hafez Assad, the late father of Bashar Assad.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalili announced that he is ready to work with any leadership that the Syrian people choose.
Opposition military leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad Al-Julani, has said that Al-Jallali will oversee public institutions until the official transfer of power is complete.
"We extend our hand to every Syrian citizen who is committed to protecting the country's resources," Al-Jalali said in a televised speech. "Syria belongs to all Syrians and I urge everyone to think rationally about the best interests of the nation."
Al-Julani ordered opposition forces in Damascus to stay away from public institutions and banned celebratory gunfire. "These facilities will remain under the former prime minister's supervision until they are formally handed over," the statement said.
The opposition celebrated the release of prisoners from Sednaya prison near Damascus. The prison was emptied following the retreat of the security forces.
Flight data from FlightRadar24's tracking platform showed the Syrian Air plane departing Damascus amid reports of opposition control of the capital. The plane, which was initially heading towards the Alawite-controlled coastal area, suddenly changed course and then disappeared from radar, sparking speculation of a possible evacuation of senior government officials.
Earlier on Sunday, opposition fighters secured full control of Homs, a key city and strategic crossroads, after a brief but intense battle. This victory severed the link between Damascus and the coastal bastions of Assad's Alawite community.
"The fall of Homs marks a historic moment," al-Julani said, urging his fighters to exercise restraint against those who surrender. Thousands of prisoners in the city were freed as security forces fled, reportedly setting fire to government documents before leaving.
Xinhua/Photo: Ammar Safarjalani/ Gnews.cz - HeK
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