Trump says Syrian President Assad ‘gone’ after losing Russian backing

Paris: US president-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had "fled his country" after losing the backing of Russia.

"Assad is gone," he said on his Truth Social platform. "His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer."

The Syrian government fell early Sunday in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family after a sudden rebel offensive sprinted across government-held territory and entered the capital in 10 days.

Earlier, Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of men saying that President Bashar Assad has been overthrown and all detainees in jails have been set free.

The statement emerged hours after the head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said Assad had left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus following the remarkably swift advance across the country.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. Jalili said in a video statement. He said he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property.

As daylight broke over Damascus, crowds gathered to pray in the city's mosques and to celebrate in the squares, chanting “God is great.” People also chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. In some areas, celebratory gunshots rang out.

Soldiers and police officers left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense. 

(Agency inputs)