A group of unidentified gunmen stormed the Iranian embassy in Damascus on Sunday, following the capture of the city by Islamist rebels. The rebels had overthrown the regime of Bashar al-Assad, who, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, fled the country and left behind “instructions” for a peaceful transfer of power.
According to Iranian state TV reports, the attackers were not affiliated with the rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the offensive. The attackers ransacked the embassy, damaging furniture and windows.
Assad, along with his wife Asma and their three children, reportedly fled Damascus over the weekend, though their exact whereabouts remain unknown. A group of men appeared on Syrian state TV, declaring Assad’s overthrow and announcing the release of all prisoners. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said that communication with Assad had been lost the previous night.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Assad’s departure after negotiations with rebel groups, adding that the Kremlin was not involved in the talks. In Damascus, crowds gathered to celebrate Assad’s departure, chanting anti-Assad slogans and firing celebratory gunshots.
Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, driven by Islamist rebels’ efforts to topple the Assad regime, appears to have reached a turning point with the collapse of over 50 years of Assad family rule.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former U.S. detainee with a $10 million bounty on his head, seeks to establish a regime resembling the Taliban’s rule, according to experts.
Al-Golani has prohibited his fighters from firing into the air in celebration and stated that public institutions would remain under the supervision of the prime minister until they are officially transferred.
