Syrian opposition fighters have declared that the country has been “liberated” after they stormed the capital and announced that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the capital city to an unknown destination.
Joyous celebrations erupted in Damascus and other parts of the country, including along the border with neighbouring Lebanon, with many displaced Syrians deciding to return home.
The stunning opposition advance came after 13 years of brutal war, putting an end to more than half a century of the rule of the al-Assad family.
Here’s a selection of international reactions to the news. This page will be updated as more statements come in:
Geir Pedersen, UN envoy to Syria
“What is important is that we are able to find a situation where there is a political way out of this. And that political way needs to be very different from what it has been before, it needs to be a process that is inclusive of everyone, and where we really focus on the need for unity, stability, where Syria is able to restore its sovereignty and its territory. There are lots of wounds that need to be healed.”
US President Joe Biden
“President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners,” the White House said in a statement.
Amichai Chikli, Israeli diaspora affairs minister
Chikli says the opposition advances in Syria “are far from a cause for celebration” for his country, as he calls for the renewal of Israel’s control at Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights and the establishment of a new line of defence based on the 1974 ceasefire line with Syria.
“Most of Syria is now under the control of affiliate organisations of” al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), he was quoted as saying by the Israel Hayom newspaper.
The majority of Syria’s Golan Heights region was occupied by Israel in 1967 and subsequently annexed in 1981.
Moammar al-Eryani, Information Minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government
“The Yemenis, with their wisdom and steadfastness, are able to thwart the plans of Iran and its Houthi tool to violate their land and tamper with their destiny, just as those plans failed in Syria and Lebanon,” he wrote social media platform X.
He added that Iran’s “expansionist project, which used sectarian militias as tools to complete the Persian Crescent, sow chaos, undermine the sovereignty of states … is collapsing”.
Anwar Gargash, UAE diplomatic adviser to the president
Gargash said non-state actors should not be allowed the opportunity to exploit political vacuums.
“Unfolding events in Syria are also a clear indication of political failure and the destructive nature of conflict and chaos,” Gargash told the Manama Dialogue security forum in the Bahraini capital.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani
“I am following with concerned attention the evolution of the situation in Syria. I am in constant contact with our embassy in Damascus and with the office of the Prime Minister. I have called an emergency meeting at 10:30 at the Foreign Ministry”, Tajani said on X.
US President-elect Donald Trump
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said al-Assad had “fled his country” after losing the backing of Russia.
“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.
“There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry
Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Chinese government has actively assisted Chinese citizens who are willing to leave Syria in a safe and orderly way, and has maintained contact with… Chinese citizens who remain in Syria,” the ministry said.
“We urge the relevant Syrian parties to take practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” it added.
“At present, the Chinese embassy in Syria is still holding strong, and we will continue to provide full assistance to Chinese citizens in need.”
Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs
“The Philippines calls on all concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further violence, to avert further casualties and deaths of civilians.
“We express concern regarding the situation of our Filipinos in Syria and advise them to take the necessary precautions and stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus.”
