Live updates: Assad regime ends in Syria as rebels declare Damascus

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, generally known as HTS, has been credited with spearheading the insurgent offensive that result in the autumn of the Syrian authorities and the overthrow of the Assad regime.

HTS grew out of the previous Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra. Though it reduce ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 and has publicly deserted rhetoric about creating an Islamic caliphate, the U.S. and U.N. proceed to designate it as a terrorist group.

Experts say HTS’s latest battlefield successes are the end result of 4 years of making an attempt to show the insurgent forces into one able to difficult Assad’s military, equipping them with drones and different high-tech weapons of battle.

“The growth of items … together with large-scale indigenous rocket and missile manufacturing, has created a drive that Assad’s regime has critically struggled to defend towards, not to mention outmaneuver,” mentioned Charles Lister, director of the Syria program on the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based assume tank, in a post on X.

Russia’s overseas ministry says its navy bases in Syria are on “excessive alert” following Bashar al-Assad’s ouster by insurgent forces.

“All essential measures are being taken to make sure the protection of our residents in Syria,” the ministry mentioned in a press release asserting that Assad had left the nation at this time. “Russian navy bases in Syria are on excessive alert. There is at present no severe risk to their safety.”

Russia has an airbase in Hmeimim within the southeastern metropolis of Latakia and a naval base in Tartus, on the Mediterranean coast. The Kremlin help had been decisive in serving to Assad suppress Syria’s insurrection within the previous 13 years of civil battle.

Syria faces “Herculean challenges” because the rebels who deposed former President Bashar al-Assad attempt to transition right into a authorities, Burcu Ozcelik, a senior analysis fellow on the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based assume tank, mentioned in a press release at this time.

“There are not any simple or rapid solutions to what sort of Syria will emerge within the post-Assad future,” she mentioned. “The new administration that emerges in Syria will want financial lifelines to rehabilitate and rebuild a rustic that has endured a number of cruelties because the begin of the 2011 battle.”

Ozcelik added that the autumn of Assad “severely debilitated” Russia’s means to undertaking energy within the nation the place it maintains a navy presence.

“It will take time and negotiations with the brand new Syrian administration, a but to be decided entity, earlier than it’s clear what Russia’s stakes in Syria will probably be,” she mentioned. “But that is now a radically remodeled Syria, and Russia has no good choices.”

Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali, Syria’s prime minister, mentioned at this time that he has no objections to resigning, following the autumn of the Syrian authorities and the departure of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Jalali advised Al-Araby TV that he was ready for the switch of energy and that insurgent chief Ahmad Al-Shara had reached out to him. He mentioned he had requested Al-Shara to redeploy police forces in Damascus.

The prime minister added that he was unaware of Assad’s whereabouts and had tried to contact him this morning, however was unsuccessful.

The U.S. will proceed its operations in japanese Syria and take all essential steps to stop the Islamic State’s resurgence, Daniel Shapiro, the deputy assistant secretary of protection for the Middle East, introduced at this time.

“We are conscious that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the bottom in Syria might give ISIS house to search out the flexibility to turn into lively, to plan exterior operations, and we’re decided to work with these companions to proceed to degrade their capabilities,” he mentioned on the Manama Dialogue safety convention in Bahrain’s capital.

Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has left the nation and relinquished the presidency, in keeping with Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It didn’t say the place Assad is now.

“As a results of negotiations between Bashar Assad and various contributors within the armed battle on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he determined to depart the presidential submit and left the nation, giving directions to switch energy peacefully,” it mentioned in a press release at this time.

It added that Russia was “following the dramatic occasions in Syria with excessive concern” and is “in touch with all Syrian opposition teams.”

People are toppling statues of Hafez al-Assad, father of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, throughout Syria, in keeping with Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.Ok.-based monitoring group.

Rebels seized management of Damascus at this time and overthrew the federal government after 50 years of rule by the Assad dynasty.

“The statue of Hafez al-Assad was toppled in #Jableh, #Banias and #Tartous,” Abdurrahman posted on Facebook, noting that “issues should not stepping into a harmful course.”

Videos circulating on social media and verified by NBC News seem to indicate Syrians celebrating throughout Damascus after rebels mentioned they captured town and ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Footage taken during the night exhibits crowds of individuals honking horns and waving flags in Umayyad Square, a landmark within the coronary heart of town.

Another video exhibits folks posing for photos and selfies whereas standing subsequent to and on prime of a tank within the sq., whereas video taken at this time exhibits folks taking pictures their weapons into the air in the identical place.

Earlier at this time, insurgent group HTS urged folks to not hearth weapons into the air as a way to keep away from inflicting panic among the many folks.

Angry Syrians stormed the Iranian Embassy in Damascus this morning after Syrian rebels claimed town and declared an finish to the Assad regime.

Protesters tore down posters of the late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani that adorned the embassy, whereas places of work contained in the constructing have been ransacked, as seen in video printed by The Associated Press.

Iran is a detailed ally of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrians should face the challenges of a full-scale civil battle on their very own, Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia’s higher home of parliament, mentioned at this time in a submit in Telegram.

“One manner or one other, the civil battle is not going to finish at this time, there’s an excessive amount of battle of pursuits and an excessive amount of opposition of forces,” he mentioned. “If the folks of Syria proceed to require our help, it will likely be supplied. But it’s unlikely — within the circumstances of a full-scale civil battle. The Syrians should deal with it themselves.”

The seize of Damascus and a transition of energy after 50 years of rule by the Assad dynasty has raised considerations of a brand new wave of instability in a area already gripped by battle.

Russia, a key ally of Assad, performed a pivotal function in supporting his regime since intervening in 2015 in the course of the civil battle that started in 2011. But its lukewarm help for Assad within the final couple of weeks didn’t maintain the rebels at bay.

Syrian rebels introduced on state tv at this time that they’ve “liberated” Damascus and overthrown “the tyrant Bashar al-Assad.”

Speaking from the “Operations Room for the Liberation of Damascus,” the rebels additionally mentioned they’d freed “all unjustly detained prisoners” from the regime’s prisons.

Earlier at this time, HTS introduced “the tip of the period of oppression in Sednaya Prison” in a WhatsApp group. The Syrian authorities has detained hundreds on the navy jail on the outskirts of Damascus, in keeping with Reuters.

Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, Syria’s prime minister, mentioned he has not left the nation and is prepared to work with any group because the transition of energy begins.

“This nation is usually a regular state, one which builds good relations with its neighbors with out coming into into any regional alliances or blocs,” he mentioned in a press release at this time.

“This matter is left to any management chosen by the Syrian folks, and we’re able to cooperate with them by offering all potential facilitation,” he mentioned.

The Israel Defense Forces mentioned it has deployed forces within the buffer zone and elsewhere “to make sure the protection of the Golan Heights and the residents of Israel.”

“We emphasize that the IDF is just not interfering with the interior occasions in Syria,” it mentioned in a submit on X.

In a separate submit, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed armed forces had entered the buffer zone on the Syrian aspect of the border and expressed considerations over violations of a 1974 settlement that established a zone of separation between the 2 nations.

The Syrian insurgent coalition introduced Sunday that it’s persevering with efforts to finalize the switch of energy to a transitional governing physique with full government powers.

“The nice Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of battle to overthrow the Assad regime to the battle to construct a Syria collectively that befits the sacrifices of its folks,” it mentioned in a press release seen and translated by Reuters.

The rebels’ declare would open a brand new chapter within the 13-year-long civil battle that has ravaged the nation.

President Joe Biden was “monitoring the extraordinary occasions in Syria and staying in fixed contact with regional companions,” White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett mentioned in a press release final night time.

In a submit on his Truth Social platform yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump mentioned in all capital letters that the United States ought to “don’t have anything to do with” the state of affairs in Syria. “This is just not our combat. Let it play out.” 

Rebel fighters say they’ve captured the Syrian capital of Damascus, as authorities forces loyal to the nation’s president, Bashar al-Assad, have been routed in a matter of days.

The rebels’ declare would open a brand new chapter within the 13-year-long civil battle that has ravaged the nation.

“We declare town of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” Hassan Abdul-Ghani, senior commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, generally known as HTS, mentioned in a submit on WhatsApp. “To the displaced folks world wide, Free Syria awaits you.”

Assad’s location was not instantly identified. Multiple media reviews point out he has left Damascus, and Abdul-Ghani mentioned Assad had fled.

NBC News has not independently confirmed the insurgent’s claims.

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