Reports that Syria’s Assad flees country as rebels take control of Damascus

People took to the streets of the Syrian capital, Damascus, in the early hours of Sunday morning to celebrate the end of a 50-year rule by the Assad family.

In a culminating of its lighting advance across the country, Syrian insurgents seized control of the city, toppling President Bashar al-Assad after more than 13 years of civil war.

Syrians expressed their joy at the end of Assad’s repressive regime.

“It’s a feeling of joy after 13 years of pressure and tragedy. The regime hurt us, but now we are free, without any fear or oppression. We will return stronger and united, and be the best country, God willing,” said one man.

Many of the capital’s residents were in disbelief at the speed at which Assad lost his hold on the country, with one man describing it as a “strange feeling of happiness”.

“We did not expect this great surprise, to wake up to find that the dictator who was slaughtering and killing people in the name of democracy and freedom, this criminal who oppressed the people for 50 years, is gone.”

The night before, opposition forces took the central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as government forces abandoned it.

Two senior officials said that Assad fled Damascus on a plane to an unknown destination on Sunday.

In their push to overthrow his government, the rebels met little resistance from the Syrian army.

The Islamist rebels’ victory has  dealt a major blow to the influence of Russia and Iran in the region, both key allies of Assad.

The rebel coalition, made up of various opposition groups, said Sunday they were working to transfer power to a transitional governing body.

It is led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and the United Nations.

Syria’s prime minister, who remains in the country, said he was ready to cooperate and offered a peaceful transition.

Washington said on Sunday that it was monitoring events in Syria closely and are in touch with regional partners.