Syria Civil War Live Updates: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country, signaling the end of a five-decade-long regime. Opposition forces have taken control of the capital city, Damascus, early on Sunday. On Sunday, the Syrian Opposition announced they were entering Damascus, with no visible presence of the army.
This development signifies the most significant threat to Bashar al-Assad’s authority since the civil war began in 2011. “We celebrate alongside the Syrian people as we announce the release of our prisoners and the end of the era of oppression in Sednaya prison,” they stated.
Sednaya is a major military facility near Damascus where the regime held thousands of detainees. These fast-evolving events have caused disturbances throughout the region. Lebanon announced it would shut down all land border crossings with Syria, leaving only one open between Beirut and Damascus. Jordan has also closed one of its border crossings with Syria.
Additionally, eight influential countries convened with the U.N. special envoy on Syria for a two-hour discussion on the sidelines of the Doha Summit on Saturday night, with more discussions expected. The UN envoy is pushing for urgent talks in Geneva to facilitate an “orderly political transition.”
