- By Nidhi Giri
- Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Israeli raids on Sunday, December 8, targeted air defence bases and ammunition depots near Damascus in Syria as two large explosions rocked the capital city. The move comes after the Israeli military said it had deployed forces to a demilitarised buffer zone in southwest Syria, adjacent to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Syrian rebel groups earlier in the day declared that Damascus, had been liberated after President Bashar al-Assad fled the country following intense protests. The rebels made this announcement in a broadcast on state TV, addressing the nation's citizens.
Syrian opposition forces declared a curfew in Damascus from 4 pm to 5 am local time, mentioned a statement after the raids.
Israel had already stated the day before, as Islamist-led rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, that its soldiers had entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone to assist peacekeepers in repelling an attack.
On Sunday, the army announced a troop deployment in the zone, citing “the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone."
“Following the recent events in Syria… the IDF (army) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defence, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel," a military statement said.
“Following the recent events in Syria… the IDF (army) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defence, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel," a military statement said.
Israeli forces “will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel," the statement added. It stressed that the Israeli military “is not interfering with the internal events in Syria."
Syrian Rebel Groups Declare Damascus ‘Liberated’
“The city of Damascus has been liberated. The tyrant Bashar al Assad has been toppled. We wish all our fighters and citizens to preserve and maintain the property of the state of Syria. Long live Syria," a man dressed in civilian clothes was heard saying on Sunday
The rebel groups also seem to have taken control of Syrian state TV, as the channel interrupted its regular programming to broadcast a message announcing the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The message declared “victory for the great Syrian revolution and the overthrow of the criminal Assad regime” with captivating patriotic music.
“We call upon the great Syrian people to protect public and private properties,” another message on state TV read.As per a state media report, Iran's embassy in Damascus has been attacked amid unrest and 'anarchy'.
Celebrations erupted across Syria as people flooded the streets, jubilant over Assad’s departure. In a powerful display of defiance, they tore down statues of the Assad family.
The fall of Damascus came just hours after the Syrian Free Army, a coalition of several rebel factions, seized control of Homs on Saturday.
Reports indicated that President Bashar al-Assad fled the country on a last-minute flight, accompanied by his family and trusted aides.
(With Agency Inputs)