The Syrian government collapsed early Sunday, falling to a lightning rebel offensive that seized control of the capital of Damascus with President Bashar Assad fleeing the country
Donald Trump says that Syrian leader Bashar Assad has been deposed after losing protection from a “weakened Russia”.
Overnight on Sunday, a lightning rebel offensive seized control of Damascus, the Syrian capital, and president Assad is reported to have fled.
The president elect wrote on social media that Syria was being protected by Russia who are no longer interested in the country with Vladimir Putin concentrated on Ukraine and having lost so many soldiers. Trump said that Russia was now “weakened” along with Iran who has also been supporting Syria.
He stated: “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.
“Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians.”
Trump has also called on a ceasefire in Russia, saying he knows Putin well and said it was “his time to act”. He stated: “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”
Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of men saying that Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been set free. The man who read the statement said the opposition group, known as the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus, called on all rebel fighters and citizens to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.”
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 a remarkably swift advance across the country.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. He later told Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya that he does not know where Assad and the defense minister are. He said he lost communication with Assad late Saturday.
