Syria – live: Tomb of Assad’s father set on fire by rebels while Israel strikes Syrian military 480 times
Israel denies penetrating Syria beyond buffer zone in occupied Golan Heights
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Rebel fighters have set fire to the tomb of Syria‘s former president Hafez Assad in his hometown in the country’s northwest.
The insurgents posed with the flag of the revolution in the burnt-out mausoleum on Wednesday, as it was revealed Russian intelligence agents organised the swift escape of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad after convincing him he would lose to encroaching forces.
The fresh details were reported by Bloomberg , which revealed Russia offered Assad a safe exit if he left the country immediately.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the toppling of Assad on a plan by the US, Israel and one of Syria’s neighbours that he did not name.
His intervention on Wednesday came as Israel said it launched more than 480 airstrikes against military facilities across Syria, destroying the Syrian navy and targeting weapons stockpiles and strategic infrastructure.
The Israeli military said they carried out the strikes over the last 48 hours, hitting weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia and Palmyra. The targets also included airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, drones, aircraft and tanks.
Russia has also criticised Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights region in Syria’s south-west as prolonging instability, as the Kremlin said the safety of its military and diplomatic personnel in the country was paramount.
A US official has also said American troops will remain in Syria to take on Isis militants despite the ongoing crisis following the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad.
US troops “have been there now for the better part of a decade or more to fight Isis… we are still committed to that mission,” said US deputy national security adviser Jon Finer.
Who is Mohammed al-Bashir? Syria’s new interim PM who has connections to both Assad and the rebels
‘They tortured me when I asked to see him’: Wife of jailed Syrian reveals truth of Assad’s slaughterhouse jail
‘Every home has three or four missing. It is our nightmare’ – Syrians’ desperate search for loved ones
Footage shows secret underground tunnels used by Assad regime in Syria
One million displaced since rebel offensive began, says WHO
The chief of the World Health Organisation Tedros Ghebreyesus says an estimated one million people have been displaced in Syria since the rebel offensive began.
The offensive, which began on Wednesday 27 November, culminated in the collapse of Bashar-al Assad’s regime on Sunday.
Full report: Israel’s warplanes pound Syria as it destroys Assad’s naval fleet
Israel has carried out a wave of airstrikes around Syria, claiming to have destroyed the country’s naval fleet and deployed troops beyond a demilitarized buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The defence minister, Israel Katz, said Israeli forces had been ordered to create a "sterile defence zone" in southern Syria. He gave no details, other than to say it would not have a permanent Israeli presence. He added the zone, would "prevent the establishment and organization of terror in Syria".
"We will not allow this, we will not allow threats to the state of Israel," he said in a statement following a visit to a naval base in the northern Israeli port of Haifa.
Read the full report:
Israel’s warplanes pound Syria as it destroys Assad’s naval fleet
After the fall of the Assad regime, the Israeli military has taken control of a UN-controlled buffer zone in the Golan Heights and hit targets across the country
US will ‘fully support’ Syria’s political transition
The US has said it fully supports Syria’s political transition process and hopes for inclusive, non-sectarian governance, secretayr of state Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
Mr Blinken said in a statement: "The transition process and new government must also uphold clear commitments to fully respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance to all in need, prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that any chemical or biological weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed.
"The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process," he added.
Lebanon must not become haven for Assad officials, says Lebanese political party
Lebanon must not become a safe haven for Bashar al-Assad’s former officials who are responsible for war crimes, a leading political party warned on Tuesday.
The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) cited reports that leading figures in Assad’s deposed regime had fled to Lebanon, and called on state institutions to prevent them from seeking refuge to ensure Lebanon “does not bear legal and political repercussions”.
In a statement, the PSP said: “After news of some leaders of the ousted regime in Syria fleeing to Lebanon through legal crossings, or crossing from Lebanon to other countries, the Progressive Socialist Party warns of the danger of turning Lebanon into a safe haven for those responsible for many crimes against Lebanese and Syrians.”
ICYMI: Rebels to release list of officials involved in torturing Syrians
The Syrian rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) said it will release a list of senior officials involved in torture.
The HTS said it will not hesitate to hold security and army officers involved in torturing the Syrian people accountable, describing them as criminals and murderers.
“We will release a list that includes the names of the most senior officials involved in the torturing of the Syrian people,” said top rebel commander Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
“Rewards will be offered to those who will provide information about senior army and security officers involved in war crime.”
Who is Mohammed al-Bashir, the new Syrian prime minister?
Mohammed al-Bashir has announced that he will be the new interim prime minister of Syria until March 1.
But what do we know about Syria’s new leader?
- Mr al-Bashir was born in 1983 and graduated from the University of Aleppo with a degree in electrical engineering in 2007.
- After the Syrian civil war broke out, he became director of the Al-Amal educational institute, which provided education to children affected by the war.
- Mr al-Bashir held a number of ministerial positions in the Syrian Salvation Government, which was the civil administration of small pocket in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province controlled by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group.
- He has served as the prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government since January 2024.
- After meeting with HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani and outgoing Syrian prime minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali on Monday, he was tasked to lead a transitional government until March 1 2025.
Biden staying ‘completely up to speed’ on Syria situation
US president Joe Biden is staying “completely up to speed” with developments in Syria, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
"We continue to carefully monitor developments there, as you would expect, that we are. The President is staying fully briefed by his national security team, and that will remain the case going forward,” Mr Kirby said on Tuesday.
“This is something that he had been and the team had been watching develop over the last week or so. And certainly, he’s going to stay completely up to speed and informed on it.
"I think you can expect to see in coming days, other cabinet level and other national security level individuals traveling to the region and or having conversations with their counterparts."
US not actively reviewing Syrian Islamist group’s terrorist designation
The US state department said it was not actively reviewing the “foreign terrorist organisation” designation of the main Syrian rebel group that overthrew president Bashar al-Assad’s government over the weekend, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
However, it said such designations are constantly under review and that even while it is in place, the designation does not bar US officials speaking with members or leaders of the group.
“There is no specific review related to what happened” over the weekend, state department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.
“That said, we are always reviewing. Based on their actions there could be a change in our sanctions posture, but we have nothing today.”
He said a review could be initiated if HTS takes steps to reverse the reasons for its designation. That would be based entirely on their actions, he said.
Israel orders military to create “defence zone” in southern Syria
Israel has ordered its military to form a “sterile defence zone” in southern Syria which would not include a permanent Israel presence, defence minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.
Katz said the zone would “prevent the establishment and organisation of terror in Syria”, adding in a statement that he will “not allow threats to the state of Israel”.
He gave no further details about how the zone would work.
Earlier, a military spokesperson said Israel was still in the demilitarised buffer zone but had seized “a few additional points” beyond the border into Syria. He denied that forces had penetrated Syrian territory significantly, or that they were advancing towards Damascus.
Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria’s Assad?
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader whose stunning insurgency toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance.
In recent days, the insurgency even dropped his nom de guerre and began referring to him by his real name, Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test.
Read the full report:
Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Assad?
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments