Syria’s military command has informed officers that President Bashar al-Assad's rule has come to an end following a swift and unprecedented rebel offensive, according to a Syrian officer who spoke to Reuters. Rebel groups have declared that Damascus is now "free of Assad," signaling a dramatic shift in the country’s power dynamics after more than a decade of civil war.

In a statement issued via Telegram, the rebels proclaimed, "After 50 years of oppression under Baath rule, and 13 years of crimes and tyranny… we announce today the end of this dark period and the start of a new era for Syria." They called on Syrians abroad to return to a "free Syria," liberated from the "tyrant" Assad.

As the capital fell under rebel control, reports indicated that Assad had fled Damascus for an undisclosed location. Two senior army officers confirmed that an aircraft had taken off from the capital’s airport, heading towards Syria’s coastal region, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect. However, the aircraft made an abrupt U-turn before disappearing from radar, fueling speculation about Assad’s whereabouts.

Witnesses in Damascus described scenes of celebration, with thousands of people pouring into public squares, chanting "Freedom" as they marked the fall of Assad’s regime. Rebels also celebrated the release of prisoners from Sednaya military prison, notorious for its human rights abuses under Assad’s government.

Rebels have said they are preparing to broadcast their first message to the Syrian people on state television, signaling their intent to formally declare a new chapter in Syria's tumultuous history. The fall of Damascus represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing civil war, with Assad’s fate now uncertain.