Damascus falls to rebels, Assad's rule ends in Syria

Rebels took over the Syrian capital Damascus in a lightning offensive on Sunday, sending President Bashar al-Assad fleeing and ending five decades of Baath rule in Syria.

- Agencies

Assad's escape brought to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country splintered in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Residents in the Syrian capital were seen cheering in the streets, as the rebel factions heralded the departure of "tyrant" Assad, saying: "We declare the city of Damascus free".

On Sunday, some people climbed atop a tank in celebration, while others defaced a toppled statue of Assad's father, Hafez. "I can't believe I'm living this moment," tearful Damascus resident Amer Batha told news agency AFP. "We've been waiting a long time for this day," he said, adding: "We are starting a new history for Syria."

The president's alleged departure, which was also reported by a war monitor, comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group launched its campaign challenging more than five decades of rule by the Assad family.

"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," the rebel factions said on Telegram.

Assad's exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria's unlikely president in 2000 when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father's iron grip. Only 34 at the time, the Western-educated ophthalmologist appeared as a geeky tech-savvy fan of computers with a gentle demeanour.