Syria’s Assad regime collapses, Bashar flees
ANKARA/DAMASCUS, Syria (AA) – Ba’ath Party rule in Syria collapsed early Sunday when Damascus fell out of the hands of regime control and Bashar al-Assad fled the country.
Anti-regime groups entered the capital on Saturday, capping off a series of rapid and dramatic developments since late last month.
After 13 years of civil war, the regime lost control of many regions in the country, starting with Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama.
Finally, with the people taking to the streets in Damascus late Saturday, regime forces started to withdraw from public institutions and streets, while anti-regime groups increased their hold over the city center.
– Statement by prime minister of collapsed regime –
In a video message on social media, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, prime minister of the Bashar government, said they are ready to work with a new government elected by the people in Syria and are ready to provide all kinds of support.
Urging that public property be spared any damage, Jalali said: “We are extending our hand to the opposition, who said they would not touch anyone and extended their hand to us.
“Syria belongs to all Syrians. This country can be a normal country, this country can have good relations with its neighbors and the world,” he added.
“This choice is up to the government that the Syrian people will choose. We are ready to cooperate with the new elected government. We are ready to provide them with all kinds of support and easily transfer state files to them.”
– Statement by leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham –
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the anti-regime armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), warned against approaching public institutions in Damascus, saying on social media: “These institutions will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over.”
“It is strictly forbidden to approach public institutions,” he said, adding: “Firing into the air is also prohibited.”
– Ba’ath Party –
With Assad’s forces conceding the capital, 61 years of the brutal Ba’ath regime and 53 years of Assad family rule came to an end.
The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party had come to power in Syria in 1963, in a military coup.
In 1970, Hafez al-Assad – the father of Bashar – seized power in an internal party coup. He became president in 1971.
After the death of Hafez in 2000, Bashar took over the Ba’ath regime.
– Arab Spring –
In 2011, protests demanding democracy began in several Arab countries — collectively called the Arab Spring. The protests led to regime changes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
The Assad regime launched a brutal crackdown on protesters and killed thousands of people, which led to a civil war.
According to a report published by the UN Human Rights Office in 2022, more than 306,000 civilians had been killed between March 1, 2011, and March 31, 2021, in Syria.