Reuters reports:

Syrian rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad‘s ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing him to flee and ending his family’s decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East.

The Islamist rebels also dealt a major blow to the influence of Russia and Iran in Syria in the heart of the region, allies who propped up Assad during critical periods in the conflict.

The rebels said they had entered the capital with no sign of army deployments. Thousands of people in cars and on foot congregated at a main square waving and chanting “Freedom” from a half century of Assad family rule, witnesses said.

People were seen walking inside the Al-Rawda Presidential Palace, with some leaving carrying furniture from inside. The rebels said prisoners had been freed from a large jail on the outskirts of Damascus where the Syrian government detained thousands.

“We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains,” the rebels said.

Iran’s embassy was also stormed by Syrian rebels, Iran’s English-language Press TV reported.

Hezbollah, which provided crucial support to Assad for years, withdrew all of its forces from Syria on Saturday as rebel factions approached the capital Damascus, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters on Sunday. [Continue reading…]

🧵A word or two about Assad, as he slithers his way out of history.
1.Assad is one of the 21st century original monsters. He gave anti-imperialism as bad, or worse, a name as Bush Jr has given democracy, and, like Bush, accomplished fuck all else for the cause he lay claim to.

— Dimi Reider | dimireider.substack.com (@reider) December 8, 2024

Read the whole thread.