Damascus, Dec. 8 (SANA) Since the launch of the Deterrence of Aggression operation on November 27, 2024, and with every city and village reclaimed from the former regime, Syrians grew increasingly hopeful that the capital would soon be liberated. At dawn on December 8, 2024, the rebels entered Damascus after the regime’s last defensive lines collapsed, while Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, marking the end of a regime that had been in power since 1963.
Following the liberation of Homs on December 7, forces advanced rapidly toward the capital through the Qalamoun region, East and West Ghouta, and the surrounding countryside, securing town after town. In the south, operations progressed with similar momentum, leading to the liberation of Daraa, Sweida, and Quneitra and contributing to the encirclement of Damascus.
On the evening of December 7, forces advancing from the north linked with units moving from the south near the Mezzeh district. At 4:30 a.m. on December 8, fighters stormed Saydnaya Prison—one of the regime’s most notorious detention facilities—and freed hundreds of detainees. As pressure mounted in the capital, Assad escaped from the presidential palace to Mezzeh Military Airport before fleeing to the Russian base in Hmeimim.
The regime’s security and military structures collapsed within hours, and units of the Republican Guard surrendered. At 6:15 a.m., the operations command announced the full liberation of Damascus and the fall of the Assad regime.
The liberation of the capital marked the end of a family-based rule spanning from 1970 to 2024 and opened the way for establishing a state founded on freedom and the rule of law. This turning point, described by leaders as a victory not only for Syrians but for humanity, is seen as an opportunity to transform the country from a source of crises into a foundation for stability, peace, and development across the region.
