Crowds of Syrians celebrate the fall of Assad's regime

There were scenes of celebration in the streets of Damascus today (8 December) as rebel forces took control of the capital, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee to an undisclosed location. 

The main opposition party declared, "Damascus is now without Bashar al-Assad," sparking widespread celebrations marking the collapse of the regime, reports Times of India. 

Rebel forces announced the breach of Damascus early Sunday, forcing Assad and many of his loyalists to flee. This development signals a turning point in Syria's 13-year-long civil war.

Across Damascus and other parts of Syria, residents flooded the streets, chanting slogans like "Freedom," "It's over," "Assad is gone," and "Long live Syria, down with Bashar al-Assad." Rebels fired into the air in celebration, while young people tore down posters of the ousted president.

The fall of Damascus followed rebel victories, including the capture of Homs, a key strategic city. Once devastated by siege warfare between the rebels and the military, Homs has now become a symbol of the opposition's resurgence.

Similar scenes of celebration unfolded in Hama earlier this week as rebels seized Syria's fourth-largest city. Protesters toppled a statue of former dictator Hafez al-Assad, father of Bashar al-Assad, to cheers and celebratory gunfire.

"The destruction of this monument, long a symbol of the Assad family's rule, felt like a powerful moment of liberation," a witness told AFP.

Rebels also gained control of Aleppo days ago, where they destroyed a statue of Bashar al-Assad's late brother, Bassel, in another symbolic act of defiance against the regime.

In a statement published on Facebook, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali expressed readiness to "cooperate" with any leadership chosen by the people. 

He urged citizens to refrain from vandalising public property as the country transitions into a new chapter.