live from london, this is bbc news. syrian rebels declare damascus is free after reports from the police that president assad has fled the country. syria's prime minister says he will work with the rebels for a transition of power. two people die and thousands are without power as storm darragh continues to batter the uk with 70 mile an hour winds. notre—dame cathedral will hold its first mass this morning since fire ravaged the building five years ago. it reopened last night in a lavish ceremony

rebel forces in damascus have declared the capital city free of long—time ruler bashar al—assad. reports say that assad has left damascus by plane for an unknown destination. this comes as gunfire has been reported in the centre of the syrian capital damascus as rebels opposed to the rule of president bashar al—assad continue their lightning offensive across the country. the country's prime minister, mohammad ghazi al—jalali, filmed a video statement in the past hour saying he would work with the opposition to facilitate a transition of power. despite the opposition�*s claims, it's not been confirmed that mr assad has fled syria. the rebel advance on damascus comes after they said they had fully liberated the city of homs. the rebel leader abu mohammed al—jolani described the victory as a historic moment. mohammad taha from bbc arabic has the latest. the statement that was issued by the syrian prime minister now that he is ready

to co—operate with any force that would be elected or chosen by the syrian people, that particular statement means that all the reports we are talking about are fairly correct. that the syrian president, bashar al—assad, most probably has left the country and the opposition now is under control of damascus. this is a historic moment for the syrian people and the region. we saw the syrian president, bashar al—assad, defiant against the opposition for nearly 1a years while in this time there were many arab leaders who fell into what was called the arab uprising or the arab spring, amongst them their tunisian president, the egyptian president, the sudanese president, the yemeni president

and of course before all of them was the iraqi president. we are now in the moment we can see hts is in control of damascus and we report that they are asking for the civilians not to approach the sensitive or important buildings, important institutions, as they will be guided by these forces. the latest news, that statement by the syrian prime minister, now from damascus, says he is ready to co—operate with any organisation that the syrian people chooses, this means that these reports

are most likely confirmed. let's now speak to dr dara conduit. she's a lecturer in political science at the university of melbourne, and a non—resident scholar at the middle east institute�*s syria program. thank you for coming on the programme. as was said that, we have had these reports that bashar al—assad have left syria but this has not been confirmed but this has not been confirmed but the fact that the leader has said they should be working with the opposition suggests that it has basis. what do you of what is happening in right now? it of what is happening in right now? , ., , of what is happening in right now? , . , ., now? it is remarkable what has ha--ened now? it is remarkable what has happened in — now? it is remarkable what has happened in syria _ now? it is remarkable what has happened in syria in _ now? it is remarkable what has happened in syria in the - now? it is remarkable what has happened in syria in the last. happened in syria in the last ten days or so. from a couple of weeks ago when nobody saw the end to the rule of bashar al—assad ending anytime soon to today, were all the major cities in syria have been taken by opposition groups are now bashar al—assad has left the

country. nothing short of remarkable. to country. nothing short of remarkable.— country. nothing short of remarkable. to really think this is it — remarkable. to really think this is it for _ remarkable. to really think this is it for bashar - remarkable. to really think i this is it for bashar al-assad? this is it for bashar al—assad? i think so. i think so. the prime minister is talking about the transition power now that bashar al—assad is no longer in the country and this may finally be the end of the disembodied rule of the bashar al—assad family. disembodied rule of the bashar al-assad family.— al-assad family. wires that ha - en al-assad family. wires that happen so _ al-assad family. wires that happen so quickly - al-assad family. wires that happen so quickly and - al-assad family. wires that i happen so quickly and seemed al-assad family. wires that - happen so quickly and seemed to take people so unaware —— why? hindsight is always 2020 and obvious why it happened now but i don't think anyone thought coming. the army of bashar al—assad has been decimated by 14.5 years of war and in between fatalities in the conflict and the brutalisation of its forces, and its involvement in horrific things which is really damage morale, the fact that it relies heavily on conscription and pays

peanuts. the army has been in terrible shape and has been for a long time. it is only been able to hold ground because of its foreign supporters and the supporters of bashar al—assad in the past year have taken a serious hit. you have hezbollah which has long done a lot of the fighting on the ground in syria has now been almost wiped out but has suffered catastrophically as a result of the israeli invasion of lebanon in the last few weeks and its attacks on hezbollah. iran is in a weak position as well because of the conflict with israel and assad's third backup, russia, is in huge trouble with ukraine and now bashar al—assad is in a particular weak position and the three parties of captive manpower for the last nine, ten years now almost and not able to come to his rescue and have had to let him go. the question is what happens _ had to let him go. the question

is what happens now? - had to let him go. the question is what happens now? tell - had to let him go. the question is what happens now? tell us i is what happens now? tell us more about hts, the rebel group and its leader,.— and its leader,. they have held territory in _ and its leader,. they have held territory in idlib _ and its leader,. they have held territory in idlib province - and its leader,. they have held territory in idlib province and l territory in idlib province and has a colourful past. it came out of al-qaeda in iraq and had ties with the islamic state group early on but it has always been a smart group, a group with really deep syrian roots and a groupware it has worked closely with syrian communities. what we have seen in the last three days is seen at working closely with minority groups to say not to fear us, we will look after you. it has been the message that you reporterjust you. it has been the message that you reporter just said, you. it has been the message that you reporterjust said, it has been sending out messages that syrian civilians need to

stay away from government institutions and it has to be an orderly transfer of power. it has come a long way. like many groups interest syria, it is a long history of human rights abuses and it has ruled in many ways that is seen as authoritarian in italy but the worst actor in syria and brutal actor in syria has been the bashar al—assad regime and it would be difficult for any other organisation to be worse. what you of the international involvement and you have the impression that the us does not want to be involved and yet it will be concerned about a possible resurgence of is when all of this, the fallout of all of this? ., all of this, the fallout of all of this? . , , ., ., of this? yeah, this is another factor probably _ of this? yeah, this is another factor probably in _ of this? yeah, this is another factor probably in the - of this? yeah, this is another factor probably in the timing | factor probably in the timing of all of this and the fact it was possible. this is happening in a transitional period in the

united states, president donald trump will come back into power in the next month or so and he has been very clearly does not intend to be involved in the war of the middle east so it's difficult to say. i've no doubt the us will be watching this closely and israel will watching closely. but how this will pay out, your guess is as good as mine at this point. russia, they are interested in keeping their bases there, access to the matter terrien and they are overstretched with the warren ukraine, which is possibly why this is come about in the first place —— the war in the first place —— the war in ukraine. what you think russia will be doing? it will also be watching. _ russia will be doing? it will also be watching. russia i russia will be doing? it will. also be watching. russia was involved in air strikes with the bashar al—assad regime but it is also decided that this is a battle too costly to try to

win. assad, russia and others have poured a fortune and huge resources into syria and assad has been a really, really difficult ally to have and he was never really doing what he was never really doing what he was told. when the crunch came, he was probably too difficult and not worthwhile for a russian regime was also having difficult times right now. this difficult times right now. as we heard bashar al—assad has fled damascus on a plane, where do you think he has gone? i don't know where he has gone. reports that his family are in russia was the last i heard some possible has gone someone like that and i will say he'll probably be going somewhere where the international criminal court does not have reach, that is all i can think

about right now.— reach, that is all i can think about right now. there is a lot of talk about _ about right now. there is a lot of talk about the _ about right now. there is a lot of talk about the release i about right now. there is a lot of talk about the release of i of talk about the release of prisoners. how many people are currently imprisoned in syria and what is going on that front? ., ., , and what is going on that front? ., .,, ., front? one of the most violent asects front? one of the most violent aspects of _ front? one of the most violent aspects of the _ front? one of the most violent aspects of the assad _ front? one of the most violent aspects of the assad regime . front? one of the most violent i aspects of the assad regime has been its, it is called a prison slug been its, it is called a prison glug system, is what it is known in academic communities, a massive prison machine. in 2021, the un estimated there were 120,000 syrians missing —— gulag system. somewhere in that system. today is a very important day for the families of these prisoners, and some have been imprisoned for and since some time during the most recent war. many of these families have not heard from their loved ones in that time. it will be a really difficult time. there will be cause for

huge celebrations for those whose loved ones have survived this brittle system. the system was also a slaughterhouse. the assad regime killed thousands and thousands of prisoners and it will be a sad time for families who find out their loved one did not make it through. loved one did not make it through-— loved one did not make it throu:h.~ . _,.. , through. what were they accused of? while we _ through. what were they accused of? while we are _ through. what were they accused of? while we are talking - through. what were they accused of? while we are talking to i through. what were they accused of? while we are talking to you i of? while we are talking to you as well, i want to say we are showing pictures from syria, the latest pictures. tell me, what were these people accused of? �* , �* , ., of? anything. anything from some sort — of? anything. anything from some sort of _ of? anything. anything from some sort of political- some sort of political accusation, through to serious crimes. many in prison will have had walked past a protest, some involved in a protest, involved in the opposition but there is an entire spectrum of people who have been locked up in that prison system for decades and decades and is one

of the most brutal and deadly prison systems on earth. share prison systems on earth. are some of the _ prison systems on earth. are some of the prisoners is? prison systems on earth. are i some of the prisoners is? some of them could _ some of the prisoners is? some of them could be _ some of the prisoners is? some of them could be but _ some of the prisoners is? some of them could be but i _ some of the prisoners is? some of them could be but i would i of them could be but i would say the vast majority of them are probably civilians who joined the streets in 2011 to call for democracy, freedom and reform in syria, he bravely took to the streets and faced off with one of the most brutal regimes in the world. strategically, where things are right now, we talked about aleppo and homs right now, we talked about aleppo and horns and damascus and areas taken by the rebels. in terms of what more they need to do, we are hearing that the president left damascus and that could cause things to crumble quickly but there is still support for him in the coastal areas, still support for him in the coastalareas, isn't still support for him in the coastal areas, isn't there? yeah, we will never, i guess we will see in the coming days the extent of that support. there

is a huge challenge that lies ahead in terms of transition of power and transitional justice and all of these sorts of things and that is what syrians are going to be focusing on from tomorrow onwards is trying to rebuild this country and rebuild the fabric of this society. rebuild the fabric of this socie . ., ~ rebuild the fabric of this society-— rebuild the fabric of this socie . ., ,, , . society. thank you very much for our society. thank you very much for your time. _ joining us now on the line is our chief international correspondent lyse doucet in doha. so much as happened in the last few hours and days, talking through what you know and what the latest is. i through what you know and what the latest is-_ the latest is. i am in doha where most _ the latest is. i am in doha where most of _ the latest is. i am in doha where most of this - the latest is. i am in doha i where most of this diplomacy on behalf of the regional powers, including the major powers, 1517 00: