Syria: End of Assad regime, fled the country
Syria: Rebels took over the country, ending the 24-year-long rule; President Bashar al-Assad feared dead in a plane crash
Ankush Pandey
The 24-year-long rule of Bashar al-Assad has ended in Syria. Rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) commander Abu Mohammad al-Julani captured the capital Damascus on Sunday. President Bashar has fled the country. However, his whereabouts are not known.
There is a possibility that he may have died in a plane crash. There is also no information about the top leaders and officials of his government. The rebels have announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 pm on Sunday to 5 am on Monday, 9 December, as per local time.
About an hour after the capture of Damascus, a statement from a rebel group was broadcast on state TV, saying President Bashar had been assassinated
The government has been overthrown and prisoners have been released from jail. All rebel fighters and civilians were also called upon to preserve the institutions of the independent Syrian nation. Later, a rebel commander named Anas Salkhadi appeared on state TV and assured the minorities that
No one will be discriminated against. He said, Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for the Duze, Sunnis, Alawites and all sects. We will not treat people the way the Assad family did. Five lakh people killed in civil war:
President Bashar, who had suppressed the rebellion with a heavy hand in 2013, lost power in just 11 days this time. The rebel fighters had intensified their attacks since 27 November. The rebels first
captured Hama and largest city of Bashar al-Assad, Aleppo, and then captured Damascus as well. This also ended the 50-year-long rule of the Assad family in Syria.
Looting in Rashtrapati Bhavan
As soon as the Assad government fell, people attacked the Presidential Palace and vandalized and set it on fire. Photos of the members of the Assad family were broken. People also looted furniture and jewellery. Videos of this also went viral on social media. People also vandalized the Defense Ministry building.
Soldiers or policemen deployed to protect other government buildings including the Presidential Palace were also nowhere to be seen. At the same time, after the coup without bloodshed, people gathered on the streets of Damascus and other cities were seen celebrating.
All Indians safe in Syria
All Indians in Syria are safe. Sources said that the Indian Embassy in Damascus is also working and is in touch with the Indians living there. Just a day ago, the Ministry of External Affairs had asked Indians living in Syria to leave the country soon. There are about 90 Indians in Syria, out of which 14 work in various organizations of the United Nations.
