THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate location was not initially clear after rebels took control of Syria’s capital. Russia’s foreign ministry did not provide details on where he had gone, saying only that he had resigned and left the country.
President Bashar al-Assad has resigned and left Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday, a stunning fall for the longtime dictator after rebels opposed to his rule stormed across the country and seized control of the capital in less than two weeks.
The foreign ministry’s statement did not offer details on Mr. al-Assad’s exact whereabouts, saying only that he had held talks with “several parties of the armed conflict.”
There was no immediate comment from the Syrian presidency about Mr. al-Assad.
Mr. al-Assad’s departure was an earthshaking moment in the history of Syria, which has been ruled by his family with an iron fist since the early 1970s. It marked a dramatic breakthrough for rebel factions in Syria that have been trying to unseat Mr. al-Assad for more than a decade, much of which was marked by a devastating civil war.
For many in Syria, Mr. Assad’s fall was a moment filled with hope as they no longer feared the regime that has used oppressive tactics to quash their freedoms. But it was also rife with uncertainty over who will rule Syria nextand raised fears of a power vacuum in a country that has been riven with competing factions vying for control of different areas of territory.
“Our hearts are dancing with joy,” Walaa Salameh, 35, a resident of the Damascus area, said in a phone interview. “We can’t predict the future and anything is possible, but the most important thing is we got rid of this oppressive regime.” » | Raja Abdulrahim, Hwaida Saad and Farnaz Fassihi | Sunday, December 8, 2024
THE TELEGRAPH:
Assad has fled country says Russia as plane disappears from radar: Syrian president is said to have fled the country as Damascus fell. US officials believe he was heading for refuge in Moscow »
Assad the tyrant has fallen – some fear what comes next will be worse: The 13-year rebellion against Bashar al-Assad’s regime may be over, but Syria’s civil war may not be »
BBC:
Where is Bashar al-Assad?: Bashar al-Assad has "stepped down" as president and "left Syria", his ally Russia says, hours after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus. »
'No-one slept in Syria last night' - how news of Assad's toppling spread: Residents in Damascus have told of an anxious wait for news on what was happening in Syria's capital city overnight. »
ZEIT ONLINE:
"Das Ende der Assad-Herrschaft ist eine gute Nachricht": International begrüßen zahlreiche Politikerinnen und Politiker den Sturz des syrischen Diktators Assad. Viele von ihnen mahnen jedoch auch – mit Blick auf die Zukunft. »
LE MONDE :
La chute de Bachar Al-Assad en Syrie : les groupes rebelles promettent une « nouvelle ère » et organisent la transition du pouvoir : Le président syrien a fui, dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, après l’entrée dans la capitale de la coalition menée par les islamistes du Hayat Tahrir Al-Cham (HTC). « Les institutions publiques resteront sous la supervision de l’ancien premier ministre jusqu’à leur remise officielle », a assuré le chef du HTC. »
