Scenes of celebration in Damascus as rebels declare end of Assad dynasty
Syrian prime minister 'ready to cooperate' during transition of power
Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, Syria's prime minister, said he has not left the country and is willing to work with any group as the transition of power begins.
"This country can be a normal state, one that builds good relations with its neighbors without entering into any regional alliances or blocs," he said in a statement today.
"This matter is left to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people, and we are ready to cooperate with them by providing all possible facilitation,” he said.
IDF deploys forces to buffer zone with Syria
The Israel Defense Forces said it has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in other places “to ensure the safety of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel.”
“We emphasize that the IDF is not interfering with the internal events in Syria,” it said in a post on X.
In a separate post, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed armed forces had entered the buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border and expressed concerns over violations of a 1974 agreement that established a zone of separation between the two countries.
Rebel coalition working to 'build a Syria together'
The Syrian rebel coalition announced Sunday that it is continuing efforts to finalize the transfer of power to a transitional governing body with full executive powers.
“The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people,” it said in a statement seen and translated by Reuters.
The rebels’ claim would open a new chapter in the 13-year-long civil war that has ravaged the country.
Biden 'closely monitoring' events in Syria
President Joe Biden was “monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners,” White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement last night.
In a post on his Truth Social platform yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump said in all capital letters that the United States should “have nothing to do with” the situation in Syria. “This is not our fight. Let it play out.”
Syrian rebels say they have seized Damascus, Assad reportedly flees the capital
Rebel fighters say they have captured the Syrian capital of Damascus, as government forces loyal to the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, were routed in a matter of days.
The rebels’ claim would open a new chapter in the 13-year-long civil war that has ravaged the country.
“We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” Hassan Abdul-Ghani, senior commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, said in a post on WhatsApp. “To the displaced people around the world, Free Syria awaits you.”
Assad’s location was not immediately known. Multiple media reports indicate he has left Damascus, and Abdul-Ghani said Assad had fled.
NBC News has not independently confirmed the rebel’s claims.