Syrians Celebrate End of Assad Rule as International Leaders Respond

Dozens of Syrians have gathered in Belfast to commemorate the collapse of the Assad regime. Rebels initiated a significant offensive against the Syrian government, capturing urban areas through a rapid advance that expanded the territory under their command. Russian state media indicated that former president Bashar al-Assad departed for Moscow, where he and his family were reportedly granted asylum. Renad Soda conveyed to BBC News NI, stating, “We couldn’t believe it, the feeling is unbelievable.” She added, “I couldn’t sleep all night watching the news, I’m really happy and I wish I can go back as soon as possible, as soon as everything calms down.” Renad relocated to Northern Ireland nine years prior, at the age of seven. She has family residing in Syria and anticipates reuniting with them shortly. She clarified, “Where I was living was being bombed and it was was dangerous for us, my family just wanted us to be safe.” She further commented, “I’m sure that everybody is so happy celebrating this amazing news after so many years.” Mazen Haseno assisted in arranging the protest on Sunday afternoon. He mentioned that he “couldn’t sleep last night” while observing the “unbelievable” developments. He stated that most Syrians residing in Northern Ireland are “against the regime” and “had to leave because they feared for their lives.” He added, “[We’re] over the moon… so, so happy.” He elaborated, “Syrian people cannot describe the feeling… It’s like a really warm feeling inside, I cannot explain it.” Prior to his arrival in Northern Ireland eight years ago, Mr Haseno recounted being imprisoned and “tortured by the Syrian regime” for two-and-a-half years. He noted that numerous Syrians had been traumatized by Assad. “Finally he’s gone now, after 14 years, hopefully we will have a democratic country now,” he expressed. Mr Haseno indicated his plan to go back to Syria “as soon as possible, when it’s safe.” The Assad family governed Syria for 53 years with authoritarian control. This era has now concluded. President Bashar al-Assad assumed leadership in 2000, succeeding his father who had governed for nearly three decades. Thirteen years prior, he violently suppressed a peaceful, pro-democracy rebellion, which escalated into a destructive civil war. Over half a million individuals perished, and 12 million were compelled to abandon their residences. On the previous Wednesday, an Islamist anti-government organization named Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), alongside allied factions, successfully spearheaded a significant offensive in the north-west. The insurgents seized Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, before advancing southward along the highway towards the capital, Damascus, amid the collapse of the Syrian military. In the early hours of Sunday, the HTS-led rebels declared their entry into Damascus and the release of prisoners from Saydanaya, the nation’s most infamous military prison, where thousands of opposition sympathizers are thought to have been executed throughout the civil war. Under two hours subsequently, they proclaimed: “The tyrant Bashar al-Assad has fled.” According to senior army officers, the president departed the capital for an undisclosed location just prior to the rebels’ arrival. Mohammed al-Jalali, Assad’s Prime Minister, subsequently stated in a video message that he was “ready to co-operate with” any leadership “chosen by the Syrian people.” A significant number of Syrians report experiencing a renewed sense of liberty, although some express apprehension regarding what lies ahead. Throughout cities globally, throngs have assembled as numerous Syrians commemorate the collapse of the Syrian government. Today, leaders from various Western nations have expressed approval of the news that Bashar al-Assad’s almost 25-year governance has concluded. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the UK endorsed the overthrow of Assad’s “barbaric regime.” He remarked, “The developments in Syria in recent hours and days are unprecedented, and we are speaking to our partners in the region and monitoring the situation closely.” Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris commented that the collapse of the “brutal Assad dictatorship” should be welcomed, and the immediate concern “must now be to prevent chaos and vacuum.” Harris asserted, “The scenes we are seeing across Syria, including in Damascus, are truly historic.” He concluded, “A once in a generation opportunity for regime change is now upon us.” The White House reported that US President Joe Biden and his staff were “closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.”