Rebels claim control of Damascus as search for Bashar al-Assad intensifies

Bashar al-Assad's rule in Syria has reportedly ended following a swift rebel offensive. Syrian army command confirmed the situation on December 8, 2024, as rebels claimed control of Damascus and began searching for the deposed president. There are unconfirmed reports that Assad's plane, an Illyushin-76, may have crashed after taking off from Damascus airport. Flight trackers noted a sudden altitude drop from over 3,600 meters to 1,070 meters before the plane disappeared from radar. Rebels have stormed the presidential palace in Damascus, celebrating their victory and looting the premises. The search for Assad continues, with no confirmed sightings or statements from him since the rebel takeover.