President Bashar Assad’s office has supposedly left the capital, and Syrian army has withdrawn from its positions in the city
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters operate in Aleppo province, Syria, November 27, 2024 © Getty Images / Izzettin Kasim
Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists and other anti-government militias have entered Damascus on Saturday, taking control over the Syrian capital. Flight data websites show that President Bashar Assad’s plane has left the city. Syrian PM Mohammad al-Jalali has already offered cooperation “with any leadership chosen by the people”, also claiming he remains in his home.
HTS, a group led by a former Al-Qaeda commander and previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, launched a surprise offensive from the opposition-held province of Idlib in northern Syria just last week. Jihadists have already driven the Syrian Army from the cities of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Al-Qusayr at the border with Lebanon.
Other opposition and militant groups operating in Syria also seized several parts of the country. US-sponsored Free Syrian Army (FSA) has taken control of the ancient site of Palmyra, while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also backed by US have seized Deir ez-Zor.
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08 December 2024
04:46 GMT
Militants move to capture state media offices in Damascus to “broadcast the victory announcement over Assad”, according to a jihadists’ statement quoted by Western media.
Sources among the Islamists announced they are planning to broadcast their first statement to Syrians on state TV.
- 04:45 GMT
Protesters arrive at Umayyad Square in the center of the Syrian capital, Al Jazeera reported adding a video supposedly taken in Damascus.
متظاهرون يصلون ساحة الأمويين وسط العاصمة السورية #دمشق#الأخبارpic.twitter.com/ZP2llT5cVa
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) December 8, 2024
- 03:43 GMT
Syrian PM Mohammad al-Jalali has said he is “ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people”, as quoted by Al Jazeera. According to Reuters, Al Jalali also claimed he remains in his home inclined to “support continuity of governance.”
- 03:21 GMT
A Syrian military source told Reuters that the national Army command “informs officers of the fall” of Bashar Assad’s government.
- 03:18 GMT
Jihadists officially claim Damascus seizure and taking over power in Syria via social media.
- 03:04 GMT
The plane reportedly carrying President Bashar Assad has disappeared from radar, according to data from the flight tracker Flightradar. Syrian Airlines Ilyushin Il-76T departed from Damascus International Airport, suddenly lost altitude a few minutes later, and then disappeared from radar.
- 03:03 GMT
President Bashar Assad left Damascus at 10 p.m. on Saturday, and the army command informed its officers and soldiers of the “fall of the regime“, Director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory Rami Abdel Rahman said during an Al Hadath channel live broadcast.
- 02:53 GMT
Syrian officers withdraw from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff headquarters, Al Jazeera wrote quoting jihadist sources.
- 02:47 GMT
Damascus International Airport has been evacuated of all employees, and all flights have been halted, Al Shams Radio claims citing correspondent.
- 02:34 GMT
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed that jihadists had entered Damascus, the New York Times wrote quoting two Iranian sources. They also claimed that Syrian forces are withdrawing from the capital.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has been prominent in supporting Syria’s government.
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