| Fall of Damascus | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the2024 Syrian opposition offensives of theSyrian civil war | |||||||
 Civilians celebrate thefall of the Assad regime in Damascus | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ba'athist Syria  | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ahmad al-Awda Salem Turki al-Antri Ahmed al-Sharaa(final phase)[5] | Maher al-Assad[6][7] | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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On 7 December 2024, theSyrian opposition group known as theSouthern Operations Room, in co-ordination with theMilitary Operations Command,[10] led forces that entered theRif Dimashq region ofSyria from the south, and those forces then came within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the capitalDamascus. TheSyrian Army withdrew from multiple points in the outskirts.[11] Concurrently with the advance towards Damascus, opposition militiaTahrir al-Sham and theTurkish-backedSyrian National Army in the northlaunched an offensive intoHoms,[12] while theSyrian Free Army advanced into the capital from the southeast.[13][better source needed] By 8 December 2024, rebel forces entered the city's Barzeh neighborhood.[14] According to official state reports inRussian mass media and media footage, PresidentBashar al-Assad left Damascus by air toMoscow, where he was grantedasylum,[15] sealing thefall of his regime.
By late 2018, Syrian opposition rebel groups were forced intoIdlib Governorate, the last rebel-held governorate of Syria after seven years of fighting against theAssad regime andSyrian Army during theSyrian civil war, after the SAA captured the city ofAleppo and conducted peace deals with rebel groups in the southernDaraa Governorate.[16][17] Several rebel groups were present in Idlib, including theIslamist rebel groupHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (which broke away from theAl-Nusra Front), the Turkish-backedSyrian National Army, and dozens of smaller nationalist and Islamist opposition groups which largely operate in a shared command with larger groups.[18] In Southern Syria, the opposition consisted mostly of demobilised fighters who had undergone reconciliation through previous cease-fire agreements and subsequently conducted local insurrections as Government forces withdrew in early December. An additional American-backedSyrian Free Army opposition force controlled a section of desert around the post ofal-Tanf.[citation needed]
Between the end of the ceasefire and the start of the2024 Syrian opposition offensives HTS leaderAhmed al-Sharaa sought peace deals with the other rebel coalitions, and hunted down Hurras al-Din and Islamic State fighters in rebel-held areas.[19] Jolani also built institutions to digitize the rebel-held area, such as improving tax collecting, street cleaning, and food distribution, while preaching a message of unity toSyrian Christians andShias.[20][21]
In contrast, theAssad regime put more money into funding thecaptagon industry, transforming the country into anarcostate dependent on drug exports for revenue.[22]Corruption ran rife after 2018, and conscripts within the SAA grew demoralized as key allies in the early years of the war such as Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah were involved in wars elsewhere.[23][24]
In November 2024, a coalition of rebel groups spearheaded by HTSattacked Aleppo, quickly overrunning the demotivated and disorganized defenders. In response, Assad travelled to Russia to ask for military aid on 28 November; his request was denied. Upon returning home, however, he lied to his senior commanders and advisors, claiming that Russia would soon send aid.[25] His wifeAsma had already been inMoscow forcancer treatment for months, accompanied by their children.[6][7] A few days later, the rebels captured Aleppo. Afterward, reports emerged of a coup led by Syrian State Security Director GeneralHossam Louka against the Assad government. The Syrian Army General Command as well as the Iranian ambassador to Syria,Hossein Akbari, both denied these reports.[26] On 2 December, Assad met withIranian Foreign MinisterAbbas Araghchi to discuss the situation. He confided that the Syrian Armed Forces were too weak to offer effective resistance to the continuing rebel advance. Regardless, he did not request increased Iranian aid, probably due to concerns about an Israeli intervention. At this point, the Syrian president had possibly concluded that the war was already lost. Despite this, he continued to tell his inner circle that Russian support would be coming, imploring them to continue their work.[25]
After thefall of Hama on 5 December, the government began redeploying its troops from EasternGhouta, includingDouma andHarasta, to the entrances and exits of Damascus.[27] However, witnesses stated that efforts to organize a proper defense quickly derailed as most officers and soldiers refused to continue resistance or outright fled. There were contradictory orders to soldiers and policemen, with commanders initially ordering them to stay at their positions or to retreat or vice versa. OnlyAlawite officers reportedly expressed any willingness to defend the capital.[6][28] Iran began withdrawing its personnel from Syria in the early hours of 6 December 2024, pulling out top commanders of theIRGC'sQuds Force and ordering evacuations at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus and at IRGC bases across Syria. Evacuating Iranians headed towards Lebanon and Iraq.[29]China also actively assisted its citizens in leaving the country.[30] On the same day, rebels south of Damascus announced the "Southern Operations Room" (SOR), exploiting the widespread retreat and collapse of loyalist troops in the region. SOR swiftly started to take control of southern towns and rural areas in cooperation with other opposition forces.[31]
By the beginning of 7 December 2024, rebels had captured most ofDaraa Governorate andSuwayda Governorate and grantedsafe passage to some pro-government forces towardsDamascus.[32][33]Maher al-Assad, Bashar's brother and head of the4th Armoured Division, was tasked with defending the capital. Despite the chaos among the Syrian Armed Forces, he actually intended to do so; Maher had reportedly been told that the military's withdrawal from other regions was intended to gather all forces for alast stand at Damascus. Eventually, the 4th Division commander discovered that the chief of the general staff had ordered a general retreat from the capital, whereupon he attempted to countermand the order to little success.[6]
On 7 December 2024, Syrian rebels announced that they had started surrounding Damascus after capturing nearby towns, with rebel commanderHassan Abdul Ghani stating: "Our forces have begun implementing the final phase of encircling the capital Damascus."[34] The rebels startedencircling the capital after capturingAl-Sanamayn, a town 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the southern entrance of Damascus.[35] In the Rif Dimashq region, pro-government forces withdrew from the towns ofAssal al-Ward,Yabroud,Flitah,Al-Naseriyah andArtouz, while rebels came within 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of Damascus.[36] The Syrian government denied claims that its army had withdrawn from positions near the city.[37] By the evening, pro-government forces had left the towns on the outskirts of Damascus, includingJaramana,Qatana,Muadamiyat al-Sham,Darayya,Al-Kiswah,Al-Dumayr,Daraa and sites near theMezzeh Air Base.[38] Maher al-Assad and his 4th Division were reportedly among the few loyalists who still tried to defend the city;[6][7] his second-in-command was later found dead in his office, possibly indicating violent disputes over the orders and escapes of many military officers.[6]
According to theSyrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian rebels were active in the Damascus suburbs ofJaramana,Muadamiyah, andDarayya, and were marching from the east towardHarasta.[39] In the main square of Jaramana, protestors took down a statue ofHafez al-Assad.[40][41] In the evening, pro-government forces reportedly withdrew from several suburbs where large-scale protests broke out.[42] As the Southern Operations Room advanced in the suburbs of Damascus,[43] theSyrian Free Army was reported closing in on the capital from the north, aftertaking control of Palmyra, as well asDarayya.[13] TheRepublican Guard, traditionally tasked with protecting the Syrian government, did not organize any defenses of Damascus and offered no resistance to the rebel advances.[44] According toThe Guardian, videos showed Syrianpolice and army forces removing their uniforms in the streets of Damascus[33] and anAssociated Press journalist reported seeing armed residents along the roads in Damascus's outskirts and finding the city's main police headquarters abandoned. Tank movements were reported in central squares of the capital, while calls of "God is great" rang out from mosques.[45]
Even as the situation in Damascus deteriorated, Assad reportedly pretended to work as usual, though he made no effort to organize a last stand or publicly inspire confidence among his loyalists.[25] Syrian state media officially denied allegations that he had fled the capital.[46] In the evening, Assad met with thirty army and security chiefs at theMinistry of Defense, and urged them to keep resisting the insurgents as Russian support was on its way. At 10:30 pm, the president received a phone call by hisprime ministerMohammad Ghazi al-Jalali who informed him that the government's situation had further declined, with large numbers of refugees fleeing from Homs toward Latakia. Assad just told him "Tomorrow, we will see. Tomorrow, tomorrow," ending the call. He then phonedBouthaina Shaaban, asking her to write a speech for him, and told his presidential office that he was driving home for the night.[25] In truth, Assad left for an airport, secretly boarded an airplane which then flew under the radar with the aircraft's transponder switched off toKhmeimim Air Base from where he fled to Russia.[25][47][48] He informed none of his inner circle members or even close family members of his flight, with even his brotherMaher al-Assad being left behind.[25][7] The Telegram account of the Syrian presidency would later publish a statement attributed to Assad, saying that he had gone to a Russian military base inLatakia Governorate "to oversee combat operations" following the fall of Damascus, but was evacuated out of the country by Russia after coming under siege from rebel forces, adding that he had no intention of resigning or going into exile.[49] After the president had disappeared, his media director Kamel Sakr initially told journalists that Assad was going to "deliver a statement very soon". Not long after, he stopped responding to calls, as did Minister of the InteriorMohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun.[7]
Government loyalists realized that Assad had fled upon learning that his home was deserted,[25] with the Republican Guard also no longer deployed at his usual residence.[50] As word of his escape spread, the remaining loyalist resistance completely collapsed.[25] During the night, rebels announced that a "group" of senior government officials and military officers in Damascus were preparing todefect to the opposition.[51] That same night, theSednaya prison was captured and its inmates freed.[9] Pro-government Sham FM radio reported thatDamascus airport had been evacuated and all flights halted.[45]
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During the early hours of 8 December 2024, Prime Minister Ghazi al-Jalali tried to reach Assad by phone, but no one responded.[25] Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian government forces were disbanding after being informed by superiors that the regime had fallen following the departure of a private flight from an airport in Damascus.[52] Thecapture of Homs that same morning by Tahrir al-Sham and theSyrian National Army effectively cut Damascus off from al-Assad's coastal strongholds ofTartus andLatakia.[33] Some government members andal-Assad family members tried to escape the encirclement.[25] Maher al-Assad successfully fled to Iraq via helicopter,[7] but the car of Bashar's cousinsIhab Makhlouf andIyad Makhlouf was intercepted by rebels who killed Ihab and captured Iyad.[25] The head of the palace security was still at his post at Assad's residence, informing fleeing soldiers that he would not abandon the location without the president. Unwilling to believe that Bashar al-Assad had left him behind, he was eventually captured by insurgents.[6]
Within hours, all of Damascus was captured by the rebels,[9] most of them belonging to the SOR.[31] A group of opposition figures announced their victory over aSyrian state television broadcast. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Ghazi al-Jalali expressed his readiness to "extend its hand" to the opposition. The Syrian Army Command put two contradictory statements out: one of admission of defeat and a second to continue its fight against "terrorist groups", specifically in Homs, Hama and Daraa.[9] Soon after, Russianstate media officially reported that Assad had fled toMoscow.[53][54] He was subsequently "personally granted asylum" by Russian presidentVladimir Putin.[55] The spokesperson refused to comment on the specific whereabouts of Assad, saying that Putin was not planning to meet him.[55]
In the wake of the rebel capture of Damascus, several places in the capital were ransacked, includingIran's embassy, Assad's estates, and government offices; theCentral Bank of Syria wasbesieged[56] and the reception hall of thePresidential Palace was set on fire. Statues ofHafez al-Assad were toppled nationwide.[57] The Russian and Chinese embassies were untouched.[56][30] The rebels announced a 13-hourcurfew in the capital amidst heavy armed rebel presence and traffic in the capital. Syrian State Television, now under rebel control, resumed broadcasting.[48] Al-Assad clan members expressed resentment over the escape of Bashar and his close family, with one relative stating that "Everyone feels he betrayed them".[6]
Israel bombed theMezzeh Air Base in Damascus.[58] Another strike targeted an alleged Iranian research center used for missile development in the Kafr Sousa district.[59] The Israeli army alsocrossed the border into Syria, seizing territory adjacent to the border after it was abandoned by the Syrian Army.[60]
HTS leaderAhmed al-Sharaa became thede factoleader of Syria on 8 December 2024 as the General Commander and head of the New Syrian Administration, serving until 29 January 2025, when he was appointedPresident of Syria by the Syrian General Command.[61][62]Mohammed al-Bashir, head of theSyrian Salvation Government, was appointedprime minister of theSyrian caretaker government on 10 December and served until 29 March 2025.[63]
Afghanistan: TheTaliban stipulated that the Assad regime was the "cause of war and instability" and congratulated Tahrir al-Sham.[64]
Canada: Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau said that the fall of the Assad dictatorship "ends decades of brutal oppression" and said that Canada is monitoring the transition closely.[65]
China: The Foreign Ministry stated that it "is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible" and urged all parties to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Syria.[30]
European Union: EU foreign policy chiefKaja Kallas called the end of Assad's rule a "positive and long-awaited development" and stated she was in close contact with regional ministers. She emphasized that rebuilding Syria would be "long and complicated".[66]
France: PresidentEmmanuel Macron commented on social media: "The barbaric state has fallen. At last. I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience." He added that France would remain committed to security in the Middle East.[66]
Germany: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the end of the Assad regime as "a big relief for millions of people in Syria" while warning that "the country must not fall into the hands of other radicals".[66]
Indonesia: TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Embassy of Indonesia in Damascus attacked by stray bullets from the Syrian Opposition Forces and causing minor damages to the building on 9 December 2024. No casualties and injured reported from the attack. The ministry asked Indonesian citizens in Syria to keep calm and avoid getting out of their residence.[67]
Iran: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had successfully evacuated Embassy personnel.[68]
Qatar: Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani criticized Assad for failing to use the previous lull in fighting to address Syria's underlying problems, stating: "Assad didn't seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people."[45]
Russia: Following Russia's call for its citizens to leave Syria, the Russian Embassy reported that all its staff members were safe following the fall of Damascus.[69] Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that it was in contact with "all groups of the Syrian opposition", but played no role in negotiations.[48]
United Kingdom: Prime ministerKeir Starmer said: "The Syrian people have suffered under Assad's barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure. Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails, and peace and stability is restored".[70][71]
United Nations: Special Envoy for SyriaGeir Pedersen called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition" and the implementation ofSecurity Council Resolution 2254.[45]
United States: TheWhite House reported that "President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners".[72] In a televised speech addressed to Americans on 8 December 2024, U.S. presidentJoe Biden stated: "At long last, theAssad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized, tortured, and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. Thefall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice".[73]According to the source in the Kremlin, Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow"
Ahmed al-Sharaa has been Syria's de facto leader since leading the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad
The Russian Embassy in Syria told the state-run TASS news agency that all its staff members were safe following the offensive
