Opposition forces in Syria have declared the country free of Bashar al-Assad’s rule as the president reportedly flees the capital, Damascus. As fighters enter the heart of the city, Syrians are celebrating the end of over 50 years of Assad family rule. The head of the Syrian political opposition coalition overseas, Hadi al-Bahra, has declared Damascus free of al-Assad and called for Syrians overseas to return.
Despite the chaos, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali remains in his home and expresses willingness to cooperate with the opposition to ensure that public institutions continue to function. The head of the main fighting group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Mohamed al-Julani, has ordered opposition fighters to not attack any public institutions or services.
Witnesses report scenes of jubilation in Damascus, with chants of “Freedom! Freedom!” as Syrians celebrate the end of al-Assad’s rule. Fighters have released prisoners held in Sednaya Prison and soldiers are reported to have dropped their weapons in the face of the rebel advance. In Homs, rebels took control of the city with little resistance, severing the connection between the capital and al-Assad’s coastal strongholds.
The rapid advance of opposition forces has led to celebrations across Syria, marking what many hope will be the beginning of a new era free from the authoritarian rule of the Assad regime.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
