President Bashar al-Assad's 50-year rule over Syria ends as rebels storm Damascus

In a shocking turn of events, claims of rebels infiltrating Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad fleeing the country have marked the unexpected end of the Assad family's 50-year rule over Syria. On Sunday morning, people took to the streets to celebrate the fall of the government, with footage from Syrian state television showing a group of individuals claiming that President Assad had been ousted and all prisoners released from jail.

Rami Abdulrahman from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed to the Associated Press that President Assad fled Damascus early on Sunday morning. Residents reported



hearing gunfire and explosions throughout the city. Iranian state TV, a staunch ally of Assad's regime during the war, also confirmed that Assad had left the capital, citing Qatar’s Al Jazeera news network, although no further details were provided.

In the early hours of Sunday, crowds gathered in Damascus' squares to celebrate, chanting anti-Assad slogans and honking car horns. In some areas, celebratory gunfire could be heard. Soldiers and police officers abandoned their posts, while rebels stormed the Ministry of Defense headquarters. The situation unfolded rapidly, marking a pivotal moment in the Syrian conflict.