A sense of upheaval has taken hold in a key part of the Middle East in recent days, as Syrian rebels claimed a successful seizure of Damascus in addition to several other cities in an effort to topple the Assad regime once and for all.
Less clear, however, is the location -- and indeed the condition -- of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who departed the capital city by air as rebel fighters approached its outskirts in the wee hours of Sunday, as USA Today reports.
The apparent ouster of Assad has been spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist group known as a former al-Qaeda affiliate group, which declared Syria now “free from the tyrant.”
In a stunning set of developments, rebels also gained control of the Sednaya prison near Damascus, freeing prisoners held by the prior regime, as Axios notes.
Soldiers were seen shedding their uniforms and donning civilian attire while thousands of Syrians poured into the streets to celebrate the fast-moving events.
Notably, rebels also seized control of Damascus International Airport, further solidifying their grip on the situation.
In the wake of the swiftly changing scenario, the Russian embassy in Egypt decried the fall of Damascus to what officials called U.S.-backed “terrorists,” though a spokesperson for the French government heralded the “historic day for Syria and the Syrian people.”
Numerous reports suggested that Assad departed the capital via air early Sunday morning, but the movements of the aircraft he was said to have boarded have sparked uncertainty and speculation, as the U.K. Express reports.
After leaving Damascus, the flight traveled eastward toward the country's border with Iraq, but then in made a northeasterly swing toward the Mediterranean coast.
There was no destination specified for the flight at its time of departure, and though the aircraft passed over the town of Homs – now controlled by rebels – it dramatically reversed course before approaching the country's coastal mountains.
Less than an hour after departing Damascus, the flight disappeared from flight trackers, sparking speculation that the airplane could have been forced down by enemy actions, mechanical malfunction, or some other serious event.
As the BBC notes, officials from Syrian ally Russia stated simply that Assad had “stepped down” and left his embattled country but offered no additional details about where he might be.
As the chaotic developments unfolded, White House spokesperson Sean Savett issued a statement saying, “President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.”
President-elect Donald Trump was rather more pointed in his reaction, writing on his Truth Social platform, “Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer,” but precisely where things will go from here, only time will tell.
