The rebels have now reached Assad’s presidential palace. The ruler has now been officially deposed. All developments in the news blog.
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9:30 a.m.: United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen calls on all Syrians to prioritize dialogue and unity and to respect international law and human rights as they build their new social order. The desire of millions of Syrians is a stable and inclusive transition, he says. He stands ready to support the Syrian people on their journey towards a stable and inclusive future.
9:39 a.m.: After their rapid advance into Syria, the rebels broke into the presidential palace in the capital Damascus. Eyewitnesses reported to the German Press Agency that the armed fighters entered the palace grounds and shouted “God is great.”
A video on social media showed some armed men shooting in the air at an entrance gate where the palace grounds presumably begin. The Al-Arabija news channel showed footage of the rebels exploring palace rooms and gardens and taking photos.
9:19 a.m.: After the presumed end of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, there is a riot at the embassy of Iran in Damascus – previously one of Assad’s most important supporters. The news channel Al-Arabija publishes videos of people tearing down a large poster on the fence of the Iranian embassy.
The poster features the powerful Iranian general Ghassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020, and Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike near Beirut in September.
The Al Jazeera news channel reports that embassy staff fled and there was no resistance against the rioters.
9:06 a.m.: There are apparently efforts towards an orderly transition between the rebels and Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali after the end of Assad’s rule. Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani said the state institutions would be supervised by al-Jalali until he was handed over. In the written statement, which he signed with his real name – Ahmed al-Sharaa – he ordered that military forces were not allowed to approach public facilities and that firing into the air was prohibited.
9:01 a.m.: The Kurdish militias in Syria see an opportunity for a new political beginning after the escape of ruler Bashar al-Assad. “This change offers an opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and justice,” said Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Maslum Abdi. This could “guarantee rights for all Syrians.”
“In Syria we are experiencing historic moments as we witness the overthrow of the authoritarian regime in Damascus,” Abdi shares.
The SDF, led by Kurdish militias, most recently controlled areas in northeastern Syria that made up about 30 percent of the country. They are the strongest armed group in the autonomous Kurdish regions. The SDF was also an important partner of the US coalition in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS).
8:04 a.m.: At the same time as their advance on Syria’s capital Damascus, the rebel alliance is also advancing in the northeast of the country. They have also taken control of areas west of the important city of Dair as-Saur, the rebels said in a speech broadcast on Syrian state television. This area was previously controlled by Syrian government troops and allied militias.
