What we know
- A coalition of Syrian rebels has toppled President Bashar al-Assad's government and captured the capital, Damascus.
- President Joe Biden called it a "moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria" in remarks at the White House today.
- Russian state media reported that Assad landed in Moscow after having fled. A senior Biden administration official confirmed that Russia has given Assad asylum.
- Assad, who was Syria’s president for over two decades and inherited the post from his father, Hafez al-Assad, has given orders for a peaceful transition of power, according to Russia, a close ally of the regime.
- Celebrations broke out in Damascus after rebels claimed victory in the 13-year civil war. In less than two weeks, rebel groups advanced across Syria, taking the cities of Aleppo and Homs before seizing Damascus.
- Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the assault along with other groups, has historic ties to Al Qaeda and is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. It has recently appeared to renounce more extremist elements.
Blinken says U.S. supports international efforts to hold Assad regime accountable
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that the Syrian people “finally have a reason for hope,” saying in a statement that the U.S. supports a peaceful transition of power “through an inclusive Syrian-led process.”
“After 14 years of conflict, the Syrian people finally have reason for hope. The Assad regime’s refusal since 2011 to engage in a credible political process and its reliance on the brutal support of Russia and Iran led inevitably to its own collapse,” Blinken said.
He added the Syrian people have “every right” to demand the preservation of state institutions, the resumption of key services and the protection of vulnerable communities during the transitional period, saying the U.S. will be closely monitoring the region.
“We will support international efforts to hold the Assad regime and its backers accountable for atrocities and abuses perpetrated against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons and the unjust detention of civilians such as Austin Tice," Blinken said.
“We again call on all actors to respect human rights, take all precautions to protect civilians, and to uphold international humanitarian law,” he said.
Senior administration official: The fall of Assad wouldn't have been possible without U.S. support for Ukraine, Israel
A senior administration official said after a National Security Council background briefing on Syria that the fall of Assad would not have been possible without the U.S.’ direct support for Ukraine and defense of Israel against Iran.
The senior official said Assad was abandoned because his key reinforcements from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah no longer had the capacity to help him. The official said a “direct line” could be drawn between the Assad regime’s falling and the U.S.’ actions in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
“It is impossible not to place its weakened defense in the context of the decisions the president has made to fully back Israel against Iran and his proxy terrorist groups, including Hezbollah and Ukraine against Russia,” the official said.
“You can really draw a line from the fateful decisions that we made and that Iran made in the days after Oct. 7 to today,” they added.
The official also said the U.S. is taking prudent measures to ensure chemical weapons in the Assad regime’s military arsenal do not fall into the wrong hands, saying “some of our partners in the region have been engaged” to ensure the weapons are not available “to anyone.”
The U.S. designated HTS, the rebel group that led the capture of Damascus and other key Syrian cities, as a foreign terrorist organization in 2018. The senior official dodged on whether the U.S. would remove the designation in the wake of the Assad regime’s fall.
The official said the U.S. has been “watching very closely” to see whether rebel leaders’ statements about including other groups will translate to actions on the ground.
“We’re very much hopeful they will be, but we will be engaging with the broad spectrum of Syrian society, opposition groups, groups on the ground in Syria, exile groups,” the official said.
Syrians abroad celebrate as rebels capture Damascus
Syrians from Beirut to Berlin are celebrating the fall of Assad’s regime as rebel forced seize Damascus.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair calls on international community to help displaced Syrians
Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, called the fall of the Assad regime “the beginning of a new and hopeful chapter for the Syrian people.”
“For the first time in decades, Syrians have a real opportunity to move past the horrors inflicted by Bashar al-Assad and his enablers in Russia and Iran, and beyond the decades of suffering under his family’s brutal rule,” Cardin said in a statement today.
Cardin called for the protection of Syrians’ human rights and state institutions. He also urged the international community to prioritize regional stability and ensure bad actors don’t exploit this moment.
“International efforts must focus on securing the Assad regime’s weapons, particularly chemical stockpiles, and ensuring groups like ISIS do not exploit this moment,” Cardin said. “Regional stability is equally critical. Support for key partners—including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq—must remain steadfast to secure their borders and maintain security.”
He said the international community must be prepared to aid Syrians and help manage their reintegration as they return to their home communities.
“The international community, with leadership from the United States, must be prepared to provide Syrians the assistance they need to create the country and the future they deserve and for which they have fought for so long,” he said.
House Foreign Affairs Chair McCaul calls for Assad, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah to be held accountable
In a statement shared first with NBC News, Rep. Michael McCaul, D-Texas, the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, called out the "barbarity" of the Assad regime and urged the international community to work "to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS."
“Bashar Al Assad has been one of the world’s most brutal war criminals and dictators. Backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, Assad and his cronies used chemical weapons and engaged in widescale bombing, torture, and disappearance of the Syrian people. The Assad regime’s barbarity was a significant driver of years of regional instability that threatened the United States and our allies," McCaul said.
He added: “As we turn to Syria’s future, it is vital the international community continue working to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and other terrorist organizations. I hope the stunning developments of recent days will spur a peaceful, political process that results in an inclusive government for the Syrian people that respects human rights and makes positive contributions to regional security."
McCaul also called for "accountability for the egregious crimes committed by the Assad regime, Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah against the Syrian people.”
Photos: Syrians celebrate in Denmark, London, Serbia
A man tears up a photo of Assad in front of the Syrian Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, today.
Members of the Syrian community wave opposition flags today in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Supporters and members of the Syrian community hug one another at a gathering in London's Trafalgar Square.
'This is the moment': Austin Tice's family pleads for help finding him
Austin Tice's family urged anyone with information about the American journalist's whereabouts to help them bring him home.
Jacob Tice this morning described the capture of Damascus as "singular and momentous" not just for Syrians but also for his family, as it has renewed hope for his brother's return after he disappeared in Syria in 2012. The Biden administration has been in communication with them over the past several days.
"They indicated to us that they were doing everything possible as the situation changes and this influx in Syria to bring Austin home," Jacob Tice said. "And now we say in this moment, this morning, this is the moment to come true to that."
His mother pleaded with the public to help "direct" Austin to his family.
"We're asking anyone that knows someone in Syria, anyone that's in Syria that hears this, to just please remind people that we're waiting for Austin," Debra Tice said.
U.S. Air Force conducts more than 75 strikes on ISIS targets amid Syria regime change
The U.S. ordered dozens of "precision airstrikes" against ISIS camps and operatives throughout Syria today, Central Command said.
More than 75 strikes were carried out against Islamic State-related targets in an effort to degrade its capabilities and prevent ISIS from taking advantage of the current situation in Syria. The Air Force used a variety of aircraft, including B-52s, F-15s and A-10s.
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said all groups in the area should be aware the U.S. will act "if they partner with or support ISIS in any way.”
"There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in central Syria," he said.
Regional powers congratulate Syrian opposition on ousting Assad
Other countries in the region have offered their congratulations to the Syrian opposition for ousting Assad and expressed hope for a new, independent Syria.
Saudi Arabia welcoming the change a statement through its Foreign Affairs Ministry, describing it as "positive steps" to ensure the safety of the Syrian people. It said it was time for Syrians to "enjoy the dignified life they deserve."
"As the Kingdom affirms its support for the brotherly Syrian people and their choices at this critical stage in Syria’s history, it calls for concerted efforts to preserve the unity of Syria and the cohesion of its people, in a way that protects it — God willing — from slipping into chaos and division," the statement said.
The Taliban in Afghanistan released a similar statement, saying it hoped the new government would allow Syria to "move forward free from external interference." It added that it hoped to see an "independent & service-oriented Islamic government" form in Syria, one that would bring national unity and reconciliation.
Jordan Foreign Affairs minister Ayman Safadi told the country's public service channel that Syrians will be the ones to decide their future. He added that Jordan wants Syria to succeed in a political reconciliation after Assad resigned for the sake of peace and stability.
How the U.S. will approach involvement in Syria after rebel takeover
Biden outlined a plan for continued U.S. involvement in Syria today.
Biden expresses optimism for getting journalist Austin Tice out of Syria
Biden said in his speech that he was hopeful the U.S. would be able to bring journalist Austin Tice back home.
"We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago," Biden said. "We remain committed to returning him to his family."
Asked immediately after his remarks to elaborate on his plan to bring Tice home, Biden told reporters, "We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence of that yet."
Tice was reporting on Syria's conflict when he was abducted 12 years ago. Throughout his administration, Biden has met with Tice's family and advocated for his release.
Biden lauds regime change in Syria but warns of uncertainty
Biden lauded the fall of the Assad regime in a speech from the White House.
“At long last, the Assad regime has fallen,” Biden said near the beginning of his speech.
He added, “It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country,” but he warned, “It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty as we all turn to the question of what comes next.”
Biden outlined continued U.S. involvement in Syria, saying, “We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime, toward independent, sovereign and independent … Syria with a new constitution, new government that serves all Syrians.”
“This process will be determined by the Syrian people themselves. The United States will do whatever we can to support them, including through humanitarian relief to help restore Syria,” he added.
Biden linked the fall of Assad’s regime with a weakened Russia, saying Ukrainian forces have weakened Russia and “left Russia unable to protect its main ally in the Middle East.”
He also spoke about Assad’s whereabouts, saying, “We’re not sure where he is, but there’s word that he’s in Moscow.”
Reconciliation and reconstruction must be prioritized, Syrian Christian opposition leader says
Reporting from Doha, Qatar
A free, independent Syria will take time to build but one thing is certain to Hind Kabawat: Reconciliation between the different factions within Syria is key.
Kabawat is a member of Syria’s large Orthodox Christian community, as well as a member of the Syrian opposition forces. There have been so many Syrians who have lived in pain since the civil war began in 2011, and Kabawat told NBC News that there must be a national dialogue about how everyone has suffered in order to move forward.
“We cannot punish everybody, because if you want to punish everybody that is half of the country,” she said.
She placed blame on the former president, for example, for ostracizing Alawites among fellow Syrians. The Assad family are Alawites, a religious sect of Islam, and many Alawites served in his government.
Alawites are “very scared” because of how Assad has made them hated, Kabawat said. She insisted that they must be part of the Syrian society if the country wants to avoid repeating the conflict.
“We want to have people from the Alawite community, the Christian community, we want have everybody at the table,” Kabawat said. “We need to think about having women, not to exclude them.”
Although the leader of the rebel coalition said elections to vote for a new Syrian government would take place in 18 months, Kabawat said she believes it might realistically take two years. Much of the road map to those elections has been set out in a United Nations resolution from 2012, which presented a political peace process for Syria.
Bringing home refugees who fled the war-torn country must also be high on the priority list, and to do that they must also think about where those people will go, Kabawat noted.
“I know there is an E.U. decision that there can be no reconstruction without political transition, but, excuse me, we need to build those homes for the Syrian refugees to go back home,” Kabawat said. “We don’t want to be a refugee community. We want to be proud in our country.”
Photos: Syrian rebel leader speaks at mosque in Damascus
The leader of Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, addresses a crowd at the capital’s landmark Umayyad Mosque today.
Syria is 'cleansed' from Assad's destruction, HTS militant leader says
Syria has opened a new beginning after the "victory" over Assad's brutal regime, HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani told crowds from the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus today.
"There’s no house in Syria which wasn’t hit by the fire of war," al-Jolani said. "And thanks to Allah, today you will be spared, God willing."
Al-Jolani described the victory as having many obstacles and blamed the waste and destruction on Assad. He accused Assad of abandoning Syria to "Iranian greed" and pushing sectarian divides in the country.
But Syria is now "cleansed," he told the crowd.
"To all nations, if they lost their rights, they must keep on asking for it until they get them," al-Jolani said.
Assad requesting asylum in Moscow, Russian media reports
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has landed in Moscow after fleeing from opposition rebels who closed in on Damascus today, according to Russia 24.
The state-owned TV channel cited anonymous sources in its report, adding that Assad has requested asylum in Russia. Two other Russian news outlets, TASS and Interfax, also reported that Assad arrived in Moscow with his family, citing Kremlin sources.
TASS and RIA Novosti, another Russian state news agency, reported that Assad’s request for asylum was granted for “humanitarian reasons.”
POTUS to deliver remarks on Syria
President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks about the developments in Syria at 1 p.m. ET.
Diplomat for Syrian opposition lays out potential transition plan
Reporting from Doha, Qatar
Hadi al-Bahra, president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, spoke to NBC News in Doha, Qatar, in the wake of the Syrian opposition forces’ stunning capture of Damascus to discuss a potential future path for the transfer of power in Syria.
“We want a united Syria, we don’t want it to be divided,” al-Bahra said. His group does not have a formal relationship with HTS, the rebel group that led the capture of Damascus and other key Syrian cities, though he says they are in contact.
The opposition forces plan to form a transitional civilian government that, according to al-Bahra, would not include members of the HTS. It would lead the country until free elections can be held, providing a provisional timeline of 18 months.
He also said that their goal is to have all foreign militaries — including the U.S., Russia, Iran and Turkey — withdraw from Syria in the same 18-month transition period. Foreign ISIS fighters should be deported, and according to al-Bahra, they plan to establish a special commission to investigate the forcibly disappeared prisoners, including kidnapped American journalist Austin Tice.
“The U.N. has approximately 1 million files for crimes committed in Syria, war crimes,” al-Bahra said. “We will either establish as national court or it will be part of the ICC.”
Syrian opposition to investigate Austin Tice's disappearance
Reporting from Doha, Qatar
The Syrian opposition will establish a commission to find Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria in 2012, as well as others who have disappeared under the Assad regime, the coalition leader told NBC News.
"We need to investigate whether he was transferred to Iran or still in Syria, because we heard some stories that at some period of time they didn’t feel secure, so they may have transferred him to Iran," said Hadi al-Bahra, president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.
Tice's whereabouts remain unknown, but his family said last week that they had heard from a "significant source" that he was still alive, according to The Washington Post.
Photos: Syrians pose for photos, carry off chairs, in Assad palace
Two men pose for a selfie while walking through the halls of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s presidential palace today in Damascus.
People carry chairs as they leave Al-Rawda Presidential Palace today in Damascus in a still from a video.
The Syrian presidential palace today in Damascus.
A group poses for a photo on a couch in Assad’s presidential palace in Damascus.
Syrian opposition reportedly takes control of city near Russian air base
Russian state media reported today that Syrian rebel forces have overtaken Jableh, a Syrian city that sits near the Russia-operated Khmeimim air base.
TASS, a Russian state media outlet, said it was told over the phone that opposition forces were in the downtown area during the day and shooting was heard. The unnamed eyewitness told TASS that everything was "calm" at the moment.
GOP Rep. Mike Turner: Trump will look for a 'diplomatic solution' for U.S. troops in Syria
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said today that he expects President-elect Donald Trump to "look for a diplomatic solution" when asked whether Trump would pull the remaining U.S. troops out of Syria.
“Well, I think, you know, one of the things that Donald Trump will make clear is, is that any, any threat to U.S. troops will be unbelievably responded to. So everyone should understand absolutely the United States troops are to be secure,” Turner said during an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation."
Turner said that Trump "absolutely supports the Kurds" and that the president-elect would "look for a diplomatic solution."
"I think there’ll be an assessment as to whether or not those troops should remain," he added. There are currently about 900 U.S. troops in northern Syria.
Turner was also asked whether he had an idea of Assad's location, to which he responded, “Not at this time.”
Rebels open prison gates after seizing Damascus
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
Rebel group HTS has freed prisoners from the nation's infamously brutal detention system today after seizing the capital Damascus and overthrowing the government.
"We announce to the Syrian people the news of the liberation of our captives and the breaking of their chains, proclaiming the end of the era of oppression in Sednaya Prison," it said in a WhatsApp group, referring to the nation's most notorious prison, where thousands of people were executed during the war.
Syrian rebels later announced on television the release of “all unjustly detained prisoners” from the regime’s prisons.
Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group, said in a Facebook post earlier that "those who are released must be considered as prisoners of conscience and not criminals."
IDF warns Syrians to stay inside as troops push into buffer zone
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee has urged the residents of five villages in southern Syria to stay at home as troops push into the buffer zone between Israeli-occupied territory and Syria.
"The fighting inside your area is forcing the IDF to move and we do not intend to harm you," he posted on X. "For your safety, you must stay in your homes and not go out until further notice."
Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli forces to seize the buffer zone on the Syrian border.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group, said Israeli warplanes had targeted warehouses near Damascus, as well as other military sites in the countryside.
Biden to meet with national security team on Syria
President Joe Biden will meet with his national security team this morning to receive an update on the situation in Syria, the White House said today.
The National Security Council previously said that Biden would remain in close contact with regional partners as the U.S. monitored the "extraordinary events" there.
Photos: Government soldiers detained in Homs
Detained members of the Syrian government security forces are gathered outdoors at a makeshift detention facility in Homs today after rebel forces entered Syria’s third city last night.
Egypt affirms support for Syrian sovereignty
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
Egypt's foreign ministry has released a statement affirming the nation's support "for the Syrian state and people" following the collapse of its government.
"Egypt is following with great interest the changes witnessed by the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic," it said on WhatsApp, pledging to support Syria's sovereignty and the unity of its territories.
The statement also called on "all Syrian parties, with all their orientations, to preserve the capabilities of the state and its national institutions, and to give priority to the supreme interest of the country."
Syrian state institutions will be supervised by former Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali until they are handed over, rebel leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani said on Sunday, signaling efforts to secure an orderly transition after rebels declared an end to Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
Iraq urges respect for 'free will of all Syrians'
Reporting from Baghdad, Iraq
Iraq has reaffirmed its support for the "security, territorial integrity, and independence of Syria" following the collapse of its government, spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi said today.
"Iraq reaffirms the necessity of respecting the free will of all Syrians," he said, emphasizing the importance of not interfering with its internal affairs.
"Such interference will only deepen conflict and division, with the Syrian people, who have already paid a heavy price, being the primary victims," he added.
Rebel forces announce curfew in Damascus
A curfew starting at 4 p.m. and running until 5 a.m. will take effect in Damascus today, rebel forces said.
Photos: Syrians celebrate Assad's fall in Germany, Turkey
Syrians living in Turkey raise opposition flags as they celebrate in Ankara today.
Members of the Syrian community in Berlin today.
Netanyahu orders IDF to seize buffer zone on Syrian border
Reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today that the IDF has seized control of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied portion and the Syrian-controlled area of the Golan Heights.
Netanyahu said a 1974 agreement that established the zone of separation between the two countries had "collapsed" after Syrian soldiers abandoned their positions.
"We are acting first and foremost to protect our border," he said. "We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.”
French President Macron welcomes end to 'barbaric state'
French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and said France remained "committed to the security of all" in the Middle East.
“The barbaric state has fallen. At last," he said. "I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience. In this moment of uncertainty, I send them my wishes for peace, freedom, and unity."
'The future is ours,' says rebel leader
The rebel leader who commanded forces under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, said today there would be “no turning back” after toppling the Assad regime in Syria.
In a statement broadcast on Syria’s state TV and translated by Reuters, al-Jolani said "the future is ours" as he reaffirmed his group’s commitment to the path it began in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprising, which demanded an end to the Assad family rule.
In a separate statement posted today on Telegram, al-Jolani urged people to protect and preserve public institutions "that belong to the great Syrian people."
A video posted by HTS showed al-Jolani, whose real name is Ahmed al-Sharaa, prostrating as he arrived in Damascus.
He said today that Syrian state institutions will be supervised by former Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali until they are handed over, according to Reuters, indicating efforts to secure a peaceful transition of power.
Returning home: Syrians in Lebanon flock to border crossing
Syrians gather at the border crossing today in Masnaa, Lebanon, to return home to Syria following the collapse of the 50-year rule of the Assad dynasty.
Assad weakened by ally distractions, says analyst
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was weakened as his allies fought conflicts elsewhere, Christopher Phillips, an associate fellow with the London-based think tank Chatham House, said in a statement today.
“Assad survived during the 2011-20 phase of the civil war after extensive help from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah,” he said. “But Hezbollah have been decimated by the war with Israel, Iran is much weaker too as a result, while Russia has removed many of its forces to Ukraine. Neither ally has been able to send anywhere near the level of support Assad received in the past, weakening his forces.
Phillips added that Assad’s domestic weaknesses were also a factor, saying he had become “complacent” as his regime’s brutality made life “grim” for Syrians.
“His military has melted away because it is deeply demoralized,” said Phillips. “Assad has focused on winning international recognition rather than consolidating his ‘victory’ in the civil war at home.”
Iran says it supports Syria's sovreignty after Iran-backed regime falls
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
In a statement issued on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry has stated its “principled stance of respecting Syria’s unity, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” following the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad, a close Iranian ally.
It also said Syria's future "is the exclusive right of its people, free from any destructive interventions,” and called for an “immediate cessation of military conflicts” and the start of “a national dialogue” to form a government representing all Syrians.
"The historical and friendly relations between the Iranian and Syrian peoples go back a long time," the statement added. "It is expected that these relations will continue."
Photos: Syrians ransack Bashar al-Assad's private residence
A man tries to remove a chandelier as people search for belongings in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus today.
A smashed portrait of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of Bashar al-Assad, lies on the ground in Assad's private residence.
Who are the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group?
The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, known as HTS, has been credited with spearheading the rebel offensive that lead to the fall of the Syrian government and the overthrow of the Assad regime.
HTS grew out of the former Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra. Though it cut ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 and has publicly abandoned rhetoric about creating an Islamic caliphate, the U.S. and U.N. continue to designate it as a terrorist organization.
Experts say HTS’s recent battlefield successes are the culmination of four years of trying to turn the rebel forces into one capable of challenging Assad’s army, equipping them with drones and other high-tech weapons of war.
“The expansion of units ... along with large-scale indigenous rocket and missile production — has created a force that Assad’s regime has seriously struggled to defend against, let alone outmaneuver,” said Charles Lister, director of the Syria program at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based think tank, in a post on X.
Russia says military bases in Syria on 'high alert'
Russia's foreign ministry says its military bases in Syria are on "high alert" following Bashar al-Assad's ouster by rebel forces.
"All necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of our citizens in Syria," the ministry said in a statement announcing that Assad had left the country today. "Russian military bases in Syria are on high alert. There is currently no serious threat to their security.”
Russia has an airbase in Hmeimim in the southeastern city of Latakia and a naval base in Tartus, on the Mediterranean coast. The Kremlin support had been decisive in helping Assad suppress Syria's rebellion in the preceding 13 years of civil war.
'No easy answers' for Syria's future, says analyst
Syria faces “Herculean challenges” as the rebels who deposed former President Bashar al-Assad try and transition into a government, Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, said in a statement today.
“There are no easy or immediate answers to what kind of Syria will emerge in the post-Assad future,” she said. “The new administration that emerges in Syria will need economic lifelines to rehabilitate and rebuild a country that has endured multiple cruelties since the start of the 2011 war.”
Ozcelik added that the fall of Assad “severely debilitated” Russia’s ability to project power in the country where it maintains a military presence.
“It will take time and negotiations with the new Syrian administration, a yet to be determined entity, before it is clear what Russia’s stakes in Syria will be,” she said. “But this is now a radically transformed Syria, and Russia has no good options.”
Syrian prime minister says he has no objections to resigning
Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali, Syria’s prime minister, said today that he has no objections to resigning, following the fall of the Syrian government and the departure of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Al-Jalali told Al-Araby TV that he was prepared for the transfer of power and that rebel leader Ahmad Al-Shara had reached out to him. He said he had asked Al-Shara to redeploy police forces in Damascus.
The prime minister added that he was unaware of Assad's whereabouts and had attempted to contact him this morning, but was unsuccessful.
U.S. to continue operations to prevent ISIS resurgence, defense official says
The U.S. will continue its operations in eastern Syria and take all necessary steps to prevent the Islamic State’s resurgence, Daniel Shapiro, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, announced today.
“We are aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give ISIS space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations, and we’re determined to work with those partners to continue to degrade their capabilities,” he said at the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain’s capital.
Russia says Assad has left Syria and ordered a peaceful transition of power
Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has left the country and relinquished the presidency, according to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It did not say where Assad is now.
“As a result of negotiations between Bashar Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully,” it said in a statement today.
It added that Russia was “following the dramatic events in Syria with extreme concern” and is “in contact with all Syrian opposition groups.”
Syrians toppling Assad statues, says monitoring group
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
People are toppling statues of Hafez al-Assad, father of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, across Syria, according to Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group.
Rebels seized control of Damascus today and overthrew the 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 "things are not going in a dangerous direction."
Crowds celebrate in Damascus after rebels seize city
Videos circulating on social media and verified by NBC News appear to show Syrians celebrating across Damascus after rebels said they captured the city and ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
Footage taken during the night shows crowds of people honking horns and waving flags in Umayyad Square, a landmark in the heart of the city.
Another video shows people posing for pictures and selfies while standing next to and on top of a tank in the square, while video taken today shows people shooting their guns into the air in the same place.
Earlier today, rebel group HTS urged people not to fire guns into the air in order to avoid causing panic among the people.
Syrians storm Iranian Embassy in Damascus
Angry Syrians stormed the Iranian Embassy in Damascus this morning after Syrian rebels claimed the city and declared an end to the Assad regime.
Protesters tore down posters of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani that adorned the embassy, while offices inside the building were ransacked, as seen in video published by The Associated Press.
Iran is a close ally of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Syrians must face challenges of civil war 'on their own,' says Russian official
Syrians must face the challenges of a full-scale civil war on their own, Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said today in a post in Telegram.
"One way or another, the civil war will not end today, there is too much conflict of interests and too much opposition of forces," he said. "If the people of Syria continue to require our support, it will be provided. But it is unlikely — in the conditions of a full-scale civil war. The Syrians will have to cope with it themselves.”
The capture of Damascus and a transition of power after 50 years of rule by the Assad dynasty has raised concerns of a new wave of instability in a region already gripped by war.
Russia, a key ally of Assad’s, played a pivotal role in supporting his regime since intervening in 2015 during the civil war that began in 2011. But its lukewarm support for Assad in the last couple of weeks failed to keep the rebels at bay.
Rebels say Damascus liberated in televised address
Reporting from Baghdad, Iraq
Syrian rebels announced on state television today that they have "liberated" Damascus and overthrown "the tyrant Bashar al-Assad."
Speaking from the "Operations Room for the Liberation of Damascus," the rebels also said they had freed "all unjustly detained prisoners" from the regime’s prisons.
Earlier today, HTS announced "the end of the era of oppression in Sednaya Prison" in a WhatsApp group. The Syrian government has detained thousands at the military prison on the outskirts of Damascus, according to Reuters.
Scenes of celebration in Damascus as rebels declare end of Assad dynasty
Syrian prime minister 'ready to cooperate' during transition of power
Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, Syria's prime minister, said he has not left the country and is willing to work with any group as the transition of power begins.
"This country can be a normal state, one that builds good relations with its neighbors without entering into any regional alliances or blocs," he said in a statement today.
"This matter is left to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people, and we are ready to cooperate with them by providing all possible facilitation,” he said.
IDF deploys forces to buffer zone with Syria
The Israel Defense Forces said it has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in other places “to ensure the safety of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel.”
“We emphasize that the IDF is not interfering with the internal events in Syria,” it said in a post on X.
In a separate post, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed armed forces had entered the buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border and expressed concerns over violations of a 1974 agreement that established a zone of separation between the two countries.
Rebel coalition working to 'build a Syria together'
The Syrian rebel coalition announced Sunday that it is continuing efforts to finalize the transfer of power to a transitional governing body with full executive powers.
“The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people,” it said in a statement seen and translated by Reuters.
The rebels’ claim would open a new chapter in the 13-year-long civil war that has ravaged the country.
Biden 'closely monitoring' events in Syria
President Joe Biden was “monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners,” White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement last night.
In a post on his Truth Social platform yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump said in all capital letters that the United States should “have nothing to do with” the situation in Syria. “This is not our fight. Let it play out.”
Syrian rebels say they have seized Damascus, Assad reportedly flees the capital
Rebel fighters say they have captured the Syrian capital of Damascus, as government forces loyal to the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, were routed in a matter of days.
The rebels’ claim would open a new chapter in the 13-year-long civil war that has ravaged the country.
“We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” Hassan Abdul-Ghani, senior commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, said in a post on WhatsApp. “To the displaced people around the world, Free Syria awaits you.”
Assad’s location was not immediately known. Multiple media reports indicate he has left Damascus, and Abdul-Ghani said Assad had fled.
NBC News has not independently confirmed the rebel’s claims.