Al-Assad in Moscow as Syrians Worldwide Celebrate
Lyndal Rowlands and Zaheena Rasheed / Al Jazeera
December 8, 2024) — Russian state media reports that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow and has been granted asylum after the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier that he stepped down and left the country.
Syrian opposition fighters say al-Assad’s 24-year rule has come to an end after they seized the capital, Damascus.
A curfew has been declared in Damascus after people took to the streets there and elsewhere to celebrate the downfall of al-Assad’s government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces have seized a buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights following the opposition’s takeover in Syria. Israel has also carried out dozens of air strikes across Syria.
The dramatic turn of events comes after opposition forces seized several strategic cities in a lightning offensive.
Opposition Syrian fighters’ lightning advance into the capital marks a turning point for the country.
World Reacts to Bashar al-Assad’s Fall and the Capture of Damascus
Al Jazeera
(December 8, 2024) — Syrian opposition fighters have declared that the country has been “liberated” after they stormed the capital and announced that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the capital city to an unknown destination.
Joyous celebrations erupted in Damascus and other parts of the country, including along the border with neighbouring Lebanon, with many displaced Syrians deciding to return home.
The stunning opposition advance came after 13 years of brutal war, putting an end to more than half a century of the rule of the al-Assad family.
Here’s a selection of international reactions to the news. This page will be updated as more statements come in:
United Nations
“After 14 years of brutal war and the fall of the dictatorial regime, today the people of Syria can seize an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement.
“The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine, and my Special Envoy will be working with them towards that end,” he added.
“We will need the support of the international community to ensure that any political transition is inclusive and comprehensive and that it meets the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria, in all their diversity. Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity must be restored.”
China
Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Chinese government has actively assisted Chinese citizens who are willing to leave Syria in a safe and orderly way, and has maintained contact with … Chinese citizens who remain in Syria,” the ministry said.
“We urge the relevant Syrian parties to take practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” it added.
“At present, the Chinese embassy in Syria is still holding strong, and we will continue to provide full assistance to Chinese citizens in need.”
Egypt
Egypt has called on all parties in Syria to preserve the capabilities of the state and national institutions, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.
The country’s foreign ministry said it was following the situation with great care, affirming its support for the Syrian people and the country’s sovereignty and unity.
European Union
“The end of al-Assad’s dictatorship is a positive and long-awaited development. It also shows the weakness of al-Assad’s backers, Russia and Iran,” the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a post on X.
She added that the bloc’s priority was to “ensure security” in the region and pledged to work with “all the constructive partners” in Syria and more broadly across the area.
“The process of rebuilding Syria will be long and complicated and all parties must be ready to engage constructively,” she said.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the fall of al-Assad’s “barbaric state” in Syria and sent wishes of peace to the people in the country.
“The barbaric state has fallen. At last,” Macron wrote on X.
“I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience. In this moment of uncertainty, I send them my wishes for peace, freedom, and unity.”
Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the fall of al-Assad as “good news” and urged a political solution to stabilise for the war-stricken country.
“Bashar al-Assad oppressed his people brutally. He has countless lives on his conscience and has driven numerous people to flee, many of whom have arrived in Germany,” Scholz said in a statement.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called al-Assad’s fall “a great relief” for Syrians. “The end of al-Assad represents for millions of people in Syria a great relief,” she said, adding, “the country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals, whatever form they take.”
Iran
The foreign ministry said in statement Iran respects Syria’s unity and national sovereignty and called for “the swift end of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist actions, and the commencement of national dialogue” with all sectors of Syrian society.
Tehran said it would continue to support international mechanisms for pursuing the political process, adding that longstanding and friendly relations between the Iranian and Syrian nations are expected to continue.
Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the fall of al-Assad, a major ally of Iran, as an “historic day” and said it was a direct result of blows dealt to Hezbollah and Iran by Israel.
He said that Israel has seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria after Syrian forces abandoned their positions.
“We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” he added.
Italy
“I am following with concerned attention the evolution of the situation in Syria,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X.
“I am in constant contact with our embassy in Damascus and with the office of the prime minister. I have called an emergency meeting,” he added.
Lebanon
The Lebanese army said it was reinforcing its presence on the border with neighbouring Syria.
“In light of rapid developments and delicate circumstances that the region is going through… units tasked with monitoring and controlling the northern and eastern borders have been reinforced, in conjunction with tightening surveillance measures,” the army said in a statement.
Philippines
“The Philippines calls on all concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further violence, to avert further casualties and deaths of civilians,” the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said.
“We express concern regarding the situation of our Filipinos in Syria and advise them to take the necessary precautions and stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus.”
Qatar
Qatar’s foreign ministry warned Syria must not be allowed to descend into chaos after the ouster of al-Assad.
The Gulf emirate said it was “closely monitoring the developments in Syria” and emphasised “the necessity of preserving national institutions and the unity of the state to prevent it from sliding into chaos”.
Russia
The Russian Foreign Ministry said al-Assad had resigned from the presidency after talks with the sides involved in the conflict and had left the country, without saying where he has gone.
“As a result of talks between B. Assad and a range of participants of the conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he took the decision to resign from his presidential post and leave the country, giving instructions to proceed with the peaceful transfer of power,” the ministry said.
“Russia did not take part in these talks.”
The ministry also said Russian soldiers at their bases in Syria are on high alert but that there is no immediate threat to them.
Turkiye
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Syria’s government “had collapsed and control of the country is changing hands”.
Speaking at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Fidan said that “this didn’t happen overnight. For the last 13 years, the country has been in turmoil” since war began with al-Assad’s repression of democracy protests in 2011.
“Terrorist organisations must not be allowed to take advantage of this situation. Opposition groups must be united. We will work for stability and safety in Syria,” he added.
“The new Syria should not pose a threat to neighbours, it should eliminate threats.”
United Arab Emirates
Anwar Gargash, UAE diplomatic adviser to the president, said non-state actors should not be allowed the opportunity to exploit political vacuums.
“Unfolding events in Syria are also a clear indication of political failure and the destructive nature of conflict and chaos,” Gargash told the Manama Dialogue security forum in the Bahraini capital.
United States
“The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country,” US President Joe Biden said.
Biden added that the fall of al-Assad is also a “moment of risk and uncertainty as we all turn to the question of what comes next”.
“The United States will work with our partners and stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risk,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, President-elect Donald Trump said al-Assad had “fled his country” after losing the backing of Russia.
“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.
“There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”
Yemen
Moammar al-Eryani, information minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said on X: “The Yemenis, with their wisdom and steadfastness, are able to thwart the plans of Iran and its Houthi tool to violate their land and tamper with their destiny, just as those plans failed in Syria and Lebanon.”
He added that Iran’s “expansionist project, which used sectarian militias as tools to complete the Persian Crescent, sow chaos, undermine the sovereignty of states … is collapsing”.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
