Reports from Cable News Network (CNN) indicate that Syrian rebel group “Sham Liberation Organization” launched an attack on the capital Damascus on the morning of December 8th. As a result, all flights at Damascus Airport were grounded, and scenes of chaos with unattended luggage and panicked passengers trying to leave Syria were observed on the scene.
According to CNN, surveillance footage from the airport showed a large number of passengers rushing through security checkpoints and towards boarding gates in a state of panic, attempting to flee Syria. The airport appeared to be almost deserted, with very few staff present, and the flight monitoring website displayed no upcoming departures.
On the same day, Reuters reported that Syrian anti-government forces declared on national television the overthrow of President Assad’s regime, which brought an end to his 24-year rule. The Syrian opposition also announced the release of all unfairly detained prisoners.
Some individuals in Damascus celebrated the “freedom” that they believed had been achieved. The Syrian government forces stated that Assad had boarded a plane and left, with his destination remaining unknown.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali delivered a video speech on social media, expressing readiness to “cooperate” with any leader chosen by the people. A Syrian military officer revealed to Reuters that the military command informed officers on the same day that the Assad regime had come to an end. However, Syrian forces continued their military operations against “terrorist organizations” in the key cities of Hama, Homs, and rural areas of Deraa.
Referring to Al Arabiya’s coverage, Reuters cited a statement by Prime Minister al-Jalali urging for free elections in Syria to allow the people to choose their leaders. Al-Jalali added that he had established contact with opposition leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani to discuss managing the current transitional period.
The rapid developments in Syria have astonished Arab nations and triggered concerns about a new wave of instability in the region. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Russia jointly issued a statement expressing the dangerous nature of the crisis and advocating for a political solution.
The Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011 as an uprising against Assad’s rule, escalated with the involvement of external powers and resulted in millions of refugees fleeing to neighboring countries.
“Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” is considered the most powerful rebel group in Syria, formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda. The United States and other countries designate it as a terrorist organization, raising concerns among many Syrians about the potential imposition of strict Islamic rule by the group.