Live: Over 100,000 bodies found in mass grave near Damascus

Iran's embassy in Syria was "attacked" on Sunday, Iranian state TV said.

"Unknown individuals have attacked the Iranian embassy, as you can see in these images shared by various networks," a state TV broadcaster said, showing footage from Al Arabiya, said to be from the diplomatic compound.

Iranian newspaper Tehran Times reported online that Iranian diplomats had left the embassy before it was stormed, citing foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.

The report said that all embassy staff were safe.

Turkey's foreign minister said the international community must support the Syrian people to ensure a smooth transition.

"As of this morning, Syria has reached a stage where the Syrian people will shape the future of their own country. Today, there is hope. The Syrian people cannot achieve this alone," Hakan Fidan told a conference in Doha. 

Fidan said the "Assad regime collapsed and control of the country is changing hands", adding that the new Syrian must be inclusive of all parties.

"We have to be watchful during this transition period. We are in communication with the groups to make sure that terrorist organisations, especially the Islamic State and PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), are not taking advantage of the situation.  

"We will continue to support efforts to establish stability and security in Syria. For the last week, we had in depth dialogues and deliberations with regional and international actors."

No one has heard from Bashar al-Assad.

He didn't make a speech and his exit was unannounced. And it seems none of the Syrians currently enjoying themselves by looking around his Damascus residencies have found him there either.

Reportedly, Assad boarded a plane shortly before the rebels took the capital overnight.

According to open-source data from the online tracker Flightradar24.com, a Syrian Air Ilyushin Il-76T aircraft took off from Damascus airport and was initially headed towards Syria's coastal region when the rebels stormed the capital.

However, the jet abruptly reversed course and flew in the opposite direction for several minutes before vanishing from radar near the city of Homs.

Two Syrian sources told Reuters "there was a very high probability that Assad may have been killed if he was on the plane".

"It disappeared off the radar, possibly the transponder was switched off, but I believe the bigger probability is that the aircraft was taken down...," said one Syrian source, without elaborating.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Assad's wife and children were in Russia.

Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati official, said he did not know whether the deposed president had gone to the UAE.

China's foreign ministry said Sunday it hopes Syria "returns to stability as soon as possible", after rebels announced they had taken Damascus and sent President Bashar al-Assad fleeing.

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."

Reporting by AFP

Here's the latest statement released by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the rebel commander also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad this morning:

"Pray to Allah in gratitude for the victory He granted through your efforts, and enter Damascus in prostration, lowering your heads in humility. Be gentle with your families and loved ones, lower to them the wing of kindness, and be the best of soldiers, as described by the Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammed. 

"Fear Allah regarding public institutions and their properties. Protect and preserve them, for they belong to the great Syrian people, and you are their protectors. Let us together complete the masterpiece of this victory of the greatest revolution known to modern history."

The Russian embassy in Syria has said its staff are "fine" following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the capture of Damascus by rebel groups, Russia's state Tass news agency reported on Sunday.

"We are fine," a Russian embassy staff member told Tass, without providing details on the diplomats' whereabouts.

On Friday, the embassy had urged Russian nationals to leave the country.

Reporting by Reuters

The United States will continue to maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro told the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain's capital on Sunday.

Speaking hours after Syrian rebels announced they had toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime, Shapiro called on all parties to protect civilians, particularly minorities, and respect international norms.

Reporting by Reuters

Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen underscores the clear desire expressed by millions of Syrians that stable and inclusive transitional arrangements are put in place, according to a statement published on Sunday.

The diplomat urged all Syrians to prioritise dialogue, unity, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society, adding he stands ready to support the Syrian people in their journey toward a stable and inclusive future.

Reporting by Reuters

Syrian state TV posted the first comment since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, declaring  "victory of the great Syrian revolution and the downfall of the criminal Assad regime."

التلفزيون الرسمي السوري الآن:
الله أكبر كبيرا والحمدلله كثيرا pic.twitter.com/1aFfQvBzsU

— Mohammad Ramzi Khatib (@Mohammadrkhatib) December 8, 2024

The Syrian rebel coalition said on Sunday it is continuing work to complete the transfer of power in Syria to a transitional governing body with full executive powers.

"The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people," it added in a statement.

Reporting by Reuters 

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."

Reporting by AFP

A video posted by local media showed rebels freeing Syrian women and children from the notorious Sednaya military prison near Damascus.

Middle East Eye has not been able to independently verify the report and the footage.

#شام :: من داخل سجون صيدنايا pic.twitter.com/aaHYPRRLVA

— شبكة شام الإخبارية (@ShaamNetwork) December 8, 2024

A video posted online showed armed men peacefully escorting the prime minister of the ousted Syrian government to a meeting with rebel leaders, according to Arab media. 

Middle East Eye has not been able to independently verify the report and the footage. 

مشاهد لتأمين رئيس الوزراء السوري محمد غازي الجلالي أثناء توجهه للاجتماع مع العمليات العسكرية بعد سقوط بشار الأسد#بشار_الأسد#سوريا#قناة_الحدث pic.twitter.com/7nc1BX8HeN

— ا لـحـدث (@AlHadath) December 8, 2024

The commander of Syria's US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls swathes of the country's northeast, hailed "historic" moments on Sunday with the fall of the "authoritarian regime" of Bashar al-Assad.

"In Syria, we are living through historic moments as we witness the fall of the authoritarian regime in Damascus," commander Mazloum Abdi said in a statement on Telegram, adding that "this change presents an opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and justice that guarantees the rights of all Syrians".

Reporting by AFP

Non-state actors should not be allowed the opportunity to exploit political vacuums, the United Arab Emirates diplomatic advisor to the president said on Sunday shortly after Syrian rebels declared the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Damascus.

"Unfolding events in Syria are also a clear indication of political failure and the destructive nature of conflict and chaos," Anwar Gargash told the Manama Dialogue security forum in the Bahraini capital in the first official comments from the UAE on the matter.

Reporting by Reuters