Syrian Army Command Announces Fall of Assad Government

IQNA – The Syrian army command in a statement declared the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government after armed opposition groups entered the capital Damascus.

 

The army statement came after the capture of Damascus by armed rebels and reports by Arab and Western media that Assad has left Syria. 

Al-Arabiya news network reported in the early hours of Sunday that rebel groups have arrived in the capital and taken control of the city.

Al-Mayadeen, citing Reuters, reported that there was no resistance from the Syrian army when the militants entered Damascus.

Other reports said there were sounds of heavy gunfire in the capital.

Meanwhile, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group Ahmed al-Shar’a, known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, said the prime minister, Mohammed Ghazi Jalali, will remain in charge for the time being and government institutions will continue their operations.

Al-Jalali has expressed the government’s readiness to “extend its hand” to the militants and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” he said in a video statement.

He also noted that he would go to his office to continue work in the morning, calling on Syrian citizens not to deface public property.

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