Armed group steals cars from Italian ambassador's garden in Damascus

An armed group in Damascus stole three cars from the garden of Italy's ambassador. The incident occurred after Islamist rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, took control of the city, prompting President Bashar al-Assad to flee. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the ambassador is safe and working remotely. A crisis meeting was held to address the situation, with Italy ready to assist its citizens in Syria, though only a small group has requested evacuation. In a related development, many Syrians entered Assad's palace after it was looted by rebels. Videos of citizens exploring the empty palace have circulated on social media, drawing comparisons to similar events in other countries.