Sun Dec 08 07:15:16 UTC 2024: ## Assad’s Rule Ends in Syria After 13-Year War: Damascus Erupts in Celebration
**DAMASCUS, SYRIA** – Jubilant scenes erupted in Damascus today following the announcement by opposition fighters on state television that President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule has ended after a brutal 13-year civil war. Thousands of citizens flooded the streets, chanting “Freedom,” celebrating the apparent collapse of the Assad regime.
Hadi al-Bahra, head of the main Syrian opposition group abroad, declared Damascus “without Bashar al-Assad” following a swift opposition offensive. Al-Assad’s whereabouts are currently unknown. While the opposition claims he has left the capital, confirmation from independent sources is pending.
The dramatic turn of events brings a potential end to a conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions, creating one of the world’s largest refugee crises. The war, initially sparked by an uprising against Assad’s authoritarian rule in 2011, quickly escalated into a complex international conflict involving numerous foreign powers.
In a surprising statement, Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali expressed his readiness to support the continuity of governance and cooperate with any leadership chosen by the Syrian people. The situation remains fluid, with the international community closely monitoring developments to assess the long-term implications of this momentous shift in power.
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