Bashar al-Assad flees Syria as rebels advance on Damascus

Bashar al-Assad, the former president of Syria, fled Damascus on December 7, 2024, as rebels launched a rapid offensive. He left in a Russian armored vehicle with his son Hafez, abandoning loyalists and family members amid chaos. Assad's departure came after failed diplomatic efforts for military support from Russia and Iran. He ordered his army to burn documents only after leaving the capital, marking a sudden end to his 13-year rule amid a surprising rebel advance. In Moscow, Assad reunited with his wife Asma and their children, who had been in Russia for treatment. Many loyalists and regime insiders fled to Lebanon and other countries, while Assad's brother Maher warned some to escape before also leaving.