Syria: Rebels capture capital Damascus and Homs; Assad flees the country

Damascus: Syrian President Bashar Assad had left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus. The Syrian government appeared to have fallen early Sunday. 

Residents cheer 
Local residents cheer as they gather on a street in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana on December 8, 2024. 

Syrian rebels said on December 8 that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the country, calling on citizens abroad to return to a 'free Syria' and saying that Damascus was free of the 'tyrant'.

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Opposition statement 
Syrian Opposition said on Sunday they have begun entering the capital Damascus without any sign of army deployments.

"We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Sednaya prison," they added. 

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Sednaya is a large military prison on the outskirts Damascus where the Syrian government detained thousands. (...to be updated)
 

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