Syria LIVE | Israel strikes Damascus, seizes more territory in occupied Golan Heights
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has stated that the presence of Israeli forces in Syrian territory is a "temporary" and "limited" measure aimed at safeguarding Israel’s security
Ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russia, the media in the latter country said on Sunday (December 8), within hours of Syrian rebels seizing control of Damascus and ending Assad and his family’s 50 years of iron rule.
According to news AP, thousands of Syrians poured into the streets that echoed with celebratory gunfire, waving the revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war.
The swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region.
Also read: For US, Israel, fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is the biggest in a slew of victories
“Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East,” US President Joe Biden said, crediting action by the US and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers — Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. He called the fall of Assad a “fundamental act of justice” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” and said rebel groups are “saying the right things now” but the US would assess their actions.
Russia has requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the UN, in a post on Telegram.
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Russia will hold talks with Syria’s next rulers over the future of its military bases in the region, the Kremlin said on Monday.
Asked about the future of the bases, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said: “It’s premature to talk about it yet.”
“This is all a subject for discussion with those who will be in power in Syria,” Peskov said, adding that there was “extreme instability” in the country.
“Of course, everything is being done now that is necessary and everything that is possible in order to get in touch with those who can deal with security. And, of course, our military is also taking all necessary precautions,” he added.
Foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said that Russia was holding talks on the security of its citizens in Syria, Interfax news agency reported on Monday, as quoted by Reuters.
The Kremlin said earlier in the day that it was too early to say what the future would hold for Russia’s military bases in Syria after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad, adding that it would be the subject of discussion with the new rulers in Damascus.
Syria’s prime minister said Monday that most Cabinet ministers are still working from offices in Damascus after rebels entered the capital over the weekend and overthrew President Bashar Assad. Streams of refugees crossed in from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future.
But there were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country, which is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance.
Israel said it is carrying out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel has also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew.
A German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate that spearheaded a lightning advance that toppled the Syrian regime, will be judged by its treatment of minorities.
“In recent months and years, HTS has endeavored to distance itself from its jihadist origins and to build up civilian structures,” the spokesperson said.
“Whether these efforts can now be taken seriously will be seen in particular in the treatment of civilians and especially minorities in the areas they now control,” the spokesperson added. (Reuters)
The European Union called Monday for a peaceful political transition in war-torn Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebels.
"Now more than ever, it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue on all key issues to ensure an orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition," the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.
Paris will send a special diplomatic envoy to the country in the coming days, according to France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
The events in Syria were a stunning defeat for Russia, Barrot told France Info radio, as Moscow could now lose access to military assets it has in the Arab country.
Kremlin issued a statement, "It is going to be difficult period in Syria due to instability, and it is necessary to maintain a dialogue with all regional powers," reported Reuters.
On Monday, several men at Syria's embassy in Moscow raised the opposition flag. A spokesman said the facility was operating normally, reported AFP.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was "in dialogue" with Turkey, which supported rebel forces in Syria.
As Syrian rebels captured the country’s capital Damascus over the weekend, neighboring Israel ordered its military to seize the buffer zone that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria.
On Monday, CNN teams on the Israeli side of the zone saw armoured vehicles inside the Syria buffer zone, and troops stood by the military vehicles.
While visiting the Golan Heights on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Together with the defense minister, and with full backing from the cabinet, I directed the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) yesterday to take control of the buffer zone and the dominant positions near it… We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.”
The buffer zone, a demilitarized area within Syria and administered by its government, was established in 1974 and was patrolled by United Nations peacekeepers. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981.
The Syrian embassy building in the Jordanian capital Amman has removed the Syrian flag.
Jordanian state media broadcast a video showing the removal of the flag, but it is unconfirmed if the opposition flag has been installed yet.
But the official Facebook page of the Syrian embassy posted the Syrian revolution flag. The embassy stated in a declaration following the announcement of al-Assad’s fall that it would continue to provide services to the community members.