Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled the capital city of Damascus as opposition forces continue their rapid advance.
According to multiple sources, including senior army officers, Assad boarded a plane on Sunday, leaving his destination unknown.
The situation in Syria has escalated significantly over the past week, with insurgent groups making substantial gains across the country. The opposition, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and supported by Turkish-backed militias, has captured key cities such as Aleppo, Hama and Homs. These advances have brought them to the outskirts of Damascus, marking the first time since 2018 that opposition forces have reached the capital.
Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, confirmed to the Associated Press that "Assad took a flight out of Damascus," while two senior Syrian army officers corroborated this information to Reuters. Despite these reports, the Syrian government has denied claims of Assad's departure, labeling them as "false news" propagated by foreign media.
Asma al-Assad, the president's wife, has also reportedly fled Syria for Russia with their three children, according to unnamed Syrian security officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. This development adds to the uncertainty surrounding the Assad regime's future.
The White House, through National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett, stated that President Biden and his team are "closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria" and maintaining communication with regional partners.
With the Syrian army's defenses crumbling, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali announced the government's readiness to "extend its hand" to the opposition and facilitate a transition to a new government. In a video statement, Jalali urged citizens to refrain from damaging public property, emphasizing his commitment to remain in the country.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling for "dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition" in Syria. However, the likelihood of Russian military intervention, similar to the air bombardments in 2016, appears slim.
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