Syria: 5 key developments as rebels take over; who is Al-Jolani, leader who toppled Assad's rule?
Thirteen years after Assad’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests sparked Syria’s civil war, rebels announced Assad, the "tyrant" had fled. Here is what's happening now
Syria’s government has fallen as opposition forces entered the capital city of Damascus, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country to an undisclosed location.
Thirteen years after Assad’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests sparked Syria’s civil war, the rebels announced that Assad had fled the country, declaring Damascus free of the “tyrant”.
How did this happen? According to reports, rebel forces had been kept at bay for more than a decade with Iranian and Russian military support. However, Al-Assad faced a surprise offensive launched from the country’s northwest.
Assad's government rapidly ceded territory, without much military defence or help of one of the country’s strongest allies, Iran.
Iran has begun to evacuate its military commanders and personnel from Syria on Friday.
Here are some key developments around the fall of the Assad government in Syria:
Dawn of a new era
The rebels have announced the start of a "new era" for Syria.
"After 50 years of oppression under Baath rule, and 13 years of crimes and tyranny and (forced) displacement, we announce today the end of this dark period and the start of a new era for Syria," said the rebels in a statement.
Meanwhile, as daylight broke over Damascus for the first time after the fall of the government of Bashar Assad, crowds gathered to pray in the city’s mosques and to celebrate in the squares, chanting: “God is great.”
Soldiers and police officers had left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense.
Many of the capital’s residents are in shock at the speed with which Assad’s hold on the country had fallen after nearly 14 years of civil war.
Syrian Prime Minister’s message
The prime minister Ghazi al-Jalali has said that the government stands ready “to cooperate with any leadership the people choose.” He called on all Syrians to protect public facilities, saying they belonged to all citizens.
Also read: 'Damascus free’, Syrian rebels declare; President Assad has allegedly fled
Call to Syrian citizens to return
The Syrian rebels have called on citizens staying abroad to return to a "free Syria". This morning, they broke into Sednaya jail - known for abuses under Assad regime - and set the prisoners free. Amnesty International had dubbed Saydnaya “the human slaughterhouse” in a 2017 report after extensively documenting mass hangings there.
The rapidly developing events have shaken the region. Lebanon said it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too.
What this means for Arab states, Russia
Western and Arab states, as well as Israel, would like to see Iran’s influence in Syria curtailed, but none of them want a radical Islamist regime to replace Assad.
For Russia, Syria’s fall could mean losing its closest Middle Eastern ally and undermining its ability to project power while it fights a war in Ukraine.
For Iran, it could shatter its so-called Axis of Resistance, comprising allied states and militias.
Who is Mohammed Al-Jolani, rebel leader who toppled Assad?
Mohammed al-Jolani is the leader of an Islamist alliance that spearheaded the offensive that has toppled Bashar al-Assad's rule. He has ended five decades of Baath Party rule in Syria.
Jolani, whose real name is Ahmed al-Sharaa, heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is essentially Syria's branch of the dreaded Al-Qaeda. His group and has been accused of extremist activities.
Jolani, who was operating from the shadows for years, is now giving interviews to the international media. Earlier, in an interview to CNN aired on Friday, Jolani had said the goal of the revolution is to overthrow Assad's regime.
During the offensive, Jolani appeared in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, after it was captured by rebels.
He had stopped wearing the turban and was seen in a khaki shirt and trousers while visiting Aleppo's citadel, standing at the door of his white vehicle as he waved and moved through the crowds. This seemed a far cry from his earlier reclusive persona and seemed to be an attempt to appear as more practical and adaptable, said news reports.
Since breaking ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016, Jolani has sought to portray himself as a more moderate leader. But he is yet to quell suspicions among analysts and Western governments about HTS not being a terrorist organisation.
Early life
Born in 1982, Jolani was raised in Mazzeh, an upscale district of Damascus. According to the Middle East Eye news website, it was after the September 11, 2001 attacks that Jolani was first drawn to jihadist thinking.
"It was as a result of this admiration for the 9/11 attackers that the first signs of jihadism began to surface in Jolani's life, as he began attending secretive sermons and panel discussions in marginalised suburbs of Damascus," the website said. After the US-led invasion of Iraq, he left Syria to take part in the fight.
He joined Al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and was subsequently detained for five years, preventing him from rising through the ranks of the jihadist organisation.
In March 2011, when the revolt against Assad's rule erupted in Syria, he returned home and founded the Al-Nusra Front, Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda.
