08/12/2024
I pray Syria will not make a mistake like Libya did
The long rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is over after rebels swept into the capital of Damascus. The fighters have declared the city "liberated," and Syrians have been celebrating in the streets. It's the culmination of an extraordinary week that saw the rebel forces undertake a lightning advance in key cities, signaling an astonishing reordering of power in a strategically vital Middle Eastern nation.
President Bashar al-Assad has left Syria, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. Assad "decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully," the statement said, adding that "Russia did not participate in these negotiations."
Syria's prime minister said in a recorded message that the government stands ready "to cooperate with any leadership the people choose." He was seen in a video being escorted by rebels. The rebels - who are led by Islamists - have said minorities will be protected.
One US official told CNN that events in Syria mark the collapse of "Iran's artifice" across the Middle East. The toppling of the Iran-backed Assad follows the decimation of key Tehran proxies Hezbollah and Hamas in conflicts with Israel over the past 14 months.
Follow live updates: https://cnn.it/3DeCxr0
