Syria’s armed opposition said its fighters have captured the capital Damascus on Sunday, December 8, and that President Bashar al-Assad has fled, Al Jazeera reported. The rebels celebrated Assad’s ouster on state TV, while his whereabouts remained unknown. The commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al-Julani, said all state institutions would remain under the supervision of al-Assad’s prime minister until they are handed over officially. Syrian Prime Minister al-Jalali said he was ready to support a transition of power and cooperate with the opposition after President al-Assad fled the country. Various world leaders spoke out about the situation in Syria. US President-elect Donald Trump said “Assad is gone. His protector Russia... was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Trump said “fled his country” after losing the backing of Russia. Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said his country would support a peaceful solution for Syria that provides stability for the region. Madrid wants “any solution for the future of Syria to be a peaceful one,” he said. Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said al-Assad missed his chance to “reconcile” with the Syrian people, so his “regime collapsed” after years of turmoil. France and Germany welcomed news of Assad’s fall, with France warning against “extremism” in the future. Iranian diplomats in Damascus left their embassy before members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stormed it earlier and are safe, according to Iran’s Tehran Times, citing the foreign ministry. The UN’s envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, addressed the Syrian opposition takeover of Damascus, saying he was ready “to support Syrian people in their journey toward a stable and inclusive future”.
