syrian rebels declare damascus is free after reports that president assad has fled the country. the bbc�*s barbara plett usher is in damascus just coming into the city now past quite a major army base. and outside of it we saw men coming out and they are walking down the road without uniform. syria's prime minister says he will �*cooperate�* with the rebels over a transition of power and that free elections should be held. rebels appear on state tv saying they have toppled a tyrant and have released his prisoners. these are live pictures of the syria lebanon border as thousands try to return to their homes in syria.

hello. more than five decades of authoritarian rule by the assad family have come to an end in syria, after rebels took the capital, damascus, overnight. the city of damascus has been liberated... assad has been toppled' say the islamist rebels, taking over state tv. the group, who have their roots in al-qaeda, have been trying to rebrand themselves as a nationalist force. they say they've freed what they called unjustly detained prisoners and hundreds of detainees held in prisons in syria. syria's president bashar al—assad is reported to have fled by plane for an unknown destination. russia, iran and hezbollah, who'd kept the assad regime in power through years of civil war, appear unable to sustain him. many of the hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled syria for lebanon during the long—

running civil war are now attempting to return. crowds have been gathering at border crossings. analysts say the country is now at a crossroads over whether rebel leader, abu mohammad al—jolani, will opt for a path to democracy. our correspondent ba ra ba ra plett—usher has managed to reach the centre of damascus and sent this report. damascus is relatively calm. when we passed through the central square we saw lots of young men shooting guns in the air, rebels and their supporters celebrating their victory of entering damascus. as we came into the city, we saw military equipment beside the road abandoned, tanks, military vehicles, even uniforms as soldiers took off their uniforms and joined the population. here in this city you can see there are vehicles on the streets, there is traffic. the shops are closed. not that many people, so some people are quite afraid, those who supported the regime had felt protected by it.

they are basically staying at home right now. others of course joyful that the regime has fallen, seeing this as a new chapter in syria's history. what that chapter is is the next question. the prime minister has put out a statement saying that he wants to work for the continuity of government, for the handover of power in a peaceful way for elections. the leader of the rebels has said that his forces should not target public institutions, those are still under the authority of the prime minister until they can be handed over officially so both of them sending out messages of reassurance, calm rather than chaos but things are uncertain and everyone is waiting to see what will happen next. barbara plett usher reporting from damascus there. with the flag of the syrian opposition displayed on his desk, this is how a news anchor on syrian tv, reacted after rebels declared they had taken damascus. translation: in the name of allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. the proud people of our nation, the time has come and the sun

of freedom has risen. the time has come to lift the oppression and dispel the darkness overshadowing our beloved country. we are the rightful owners and this land belongs to us. we, the syrian people of all sects, colours and walks of life, stand united, hand in hand, looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. a future where injustice and tyranny are eradicated. let's speak to dr rim turkmani. she is the director of syria conflict research programme at the london school of economics. she is a member of the women's advisory board to the un special envoy to syria. thank you forjoining us. i may thank you for “oining us. i may think keeping — thank you forjoining us. i may think keeping in _ thank you forjoining us. i may think keeping in touch - thank you forjoining us. i may think keeping in touch with - think keeping in touch with family is back into rear including your sister, what are they telling you about what's happening?—

they telling you about what's haueninu? j happening? while they're happy that the regime _ happening? while they're happy that the regime is _ happening? while they're happy that the regime is gone - that the regime is gone forever, we hope, a very anxious and they've just sent me pictures that has been aerial shelling but there was an aerial attack. she showed me the pictures of the smoke coming out of the sides of the bombing, there has been looting, my sister has been looted, and know for certain that european embassy has been looted as well but they don't come out and say which one. so, they are very worrying which need to be put under control very quickly. there a mix of m very quickly. there a mix of joy but also...— very quickly. there a mix of joy but also... cautious, fear. what you _ joy but also... cautious, fear. what you think _ joy but also... cautious, fear. what you think are _ joy but also... cautious, fear. what you think are the - joy but also... cautious, fear. what you think are the key i what you think are the key thing we need to watch out for in the next few days? the next few hours? i guess, maintaining security is crucial. but also,

the transition from the government, the prime minister, to the rebel coalition.— to the rebel coalition. yeah, absolutely- _ to the rebel coalition. yeah, absolutely. it's _ to the rebel coalition. yeah, absolutely. it's very - to the rebel coalition. yeah, l absolutely. it's very important to watch and in the introductory report on the programme he talked about democratic process. germanic was in control of the area and they had big banner saying democracy is evil. he has, he is now pretending to release prisoners, his own prisons are packed of people who just are there to oppose them, just yesterday there was a woman outside the prison calling for the release of their beloved ones and they were faced with violence. so, he's going to be toxic. i can't see a credible process that involves him. how come, for example, a crucial process that needs to start now is the transition to justice? how can we have any credibility

process when it doesn't also make him accountable for the crimes he committed to? there are human rights reports about the crimes committed by this group. so, his presence will mean notjust this, we can rely on, no democracy, and he is a toxic figure. it managed to put together a coalition to... offensive which led to the tumbling of the regime but that doesn't mean that he gives the right —— match he is the right political figure. right —— match he is the right politicalfigure. for right -- match he is the right political figure.— political figure. far from it. just political figure. far from it. just how— political figure. far from it. just how bad _ political figure. far from it. just how bad he _ political figure. far from it. just how bad he was - political figure. far from it. just how bad he was a - politicalfigure. far from it. | just how bad he was a long, politicalfigure. far from it. - just how bad he was a long, he is the head of hts, it's the main group that has brought about the end of the assad regime. there are questions about his politics and he tried

to put himself forward as a modern figure, one who isn't going to necessarily lean to the islamist foundations of hts. what kind of role do you think you can play? you don't see him as an honest, political activity is a person who has the most power in syria at the moment. ., the most power in syria at the moment-— moment. not necessarily. i don'tthink_ moment. not necessarily. i don't think he _ moment. not necessarily. i don't think he succeeded i don't think he succeeded because of the immense power that he has, it's the view of political environment as well. if you run and his brother were there, he wouldn't have managed to put this together. the regime also has been of the army are extremely tired and exhausted. nobody wanted to fight for a side so he sees the opportunity of sars being weak, his legitimacy and iran and his brother mac are being continuously hit by israel. he

could not have done this also without the others who coordinated with him. so, we shouldn't give him more than he deserves. to be honest. i don't know of anyone in the region was the ci al-qaeda associated head of state nearby. i think it's going to take more than the whitewash campaign that is on the go, happening right now, for us to believe that he changed because as i said right now his prisons are packed. a friend, we know that in person, are in his prisons. they were assassinated by his guards so yeah, we're not convinced. sorry. you talk about having a national dialogue. when people are watching from the upside, foreign powers, especially in western one transition like this is happening, people often wonder who'd we will look to do kind of help us guide us

through this process? could you see a national dialogue working and who would necessarily take the lid? maybe not individuals or groups? the lid? maybe not individuals or grows?— the lid? maybe not individuals or u-rous? . ., or groups? yeah, the reason we haven't seen _ or groups? yeah, the reason we haven't seen much _ or groups? yeah, the reason we haven't seen much violence - or groups? yeah, the reason we haven't seen much violence in l or groups? yeah, the reason we haven't seen much violence in a| haven't seen much violence in a city like this where there is a very diverse ethnic backgrounds exactly because of all of the directions of society and religions. they were communicating with each other, starting peace initiatives, issuing statements commit reassuring each other, talking to their own people, taking the weapons so these people are there in the ground, talk to anyone, you'll see those people need to be involved in the process, nobody should be excluded. including us, we should be included. once the process is inclusive, then i think the result will be good

for everyone because everyone will buy into it. they will believe and the outcome. we should prevent anyone to seize power for themselves and create yet another conflict. we can't put up with another dictatorship. i don't think the syrian people would go through this again. it took us 53 years to topple a dictator, we don't spend another half—century toppling another one. we spend another half-century toppling another one. we also hit from the _ toppling another one. we also hit from the foreign _ toppling another one. we also hit from the foreign minister. hit from the foreign minister saying that the next government should be an inclusive government, echoing some of your sentiments. government, echoing some of yoursentiments. but government, echoing some of your sentiments. but of course, the dynamics in the middle east are incredibly complex, there are incredibly complex, there are other conflicts that are happening, do you think foreign interest would allow for a peaceful, inclusive of government in syria to take shape but they want to fight for their own interests? so

far, they — for their own interests? sr far, they haven't for their own interests? 5r far, they haven't helped. the multiplicity of external actors in the conflict have prolonged the conflict, prevented us from reaching a consensus assyrians. a big cherry lunch is what we want? we are fighting against the side but now he's gone so what do we want assyrians? it's going to take to realise this and we want space to figure this out without external interference. i think you can help this process, make sure it's safe and inclusive, but it's safe and inclusive, but it's going to be difficult. it's going to try and make the best of the situation if turkey has of interest in the north, they have concerns about the

kurdish majority regions and they want to reach certain arrangements to their satisfaction. so, my fear is that the region is going to continue but it's going to be more on geographic basis so good to see more turkish interference than some... ya, jordanian, iraqi and, other side of the boards us. just hel us side of the boards us. just help us understand - side of the boards us. just help us understand how significant this moment is. if there is a lot of emotional testimony from people being released from jail and obviously, this moment comes after a really brutal civil war. using chemical attacks being carried out in syria, we've seen massive bombardments of cities like aleppo. our people feeling right now? there are no words — people feeling right now? there are no words to _ people feeling right now? there are no words to describe - people feeling right now? there are no words to describe it. - are no words to describe it. joy-

are no words to describe it. joy. absolutejoy are no words to describe it. joy. absolute joy but also lots of winter opening right now. even today, family members opened up about things they've been subject to and they didn't want to say you know, what they went through. they didn't want everyone to be affected and now suddenly everyone is coming forward and saying that's what happened to me. we have so many mothers coming forwards who have been taken by the regime years ago and they haven't heard about them so there are lots of open wounds right now. so many emotions, some leeches. everyone i know was we haven't slept in two nights. we really have no words to describe this moment. wejust hope it's going to go smoothly, we hope it's going to be controlled very quickly because we don't want to spoil this moment. we don't want to lose it. it's not going to come again.—

to come again. thank you so much for _ to come again. thank you so much for sharing _ to come again. thank you so much for sharing your - to come again. thank you so - much for sharing your thoughts, your experience, and of course your experience, and of course your analysis with us. as we've been reporting, bashar al assad has fled the country. caroline hawley looks back on his rule. bashar al—assad took power in the year 2000, inheriting syria's police state from his father, hafez. the new young president, just 3a at the time, promised reform. and after his inauguration, there was a brief period of greater political openness. but the old family way of ruling soon reasserted itself. power was to have been handed down to bashar�*s elder brother, basel, but when he was killed in a car crash, it was the quieter, somewhat awkward bashar who was next in line. he'd been training as an eye doctor in london when he was called back to syria to prepare for taking over the presidency. with his british—born

wife, asma, by his side, president assad at first presented a new image of syria to the world. mrs al—assad, your majesty. the west responded. there was even an audience with the queen. but the change that so many syrians hoped for at home failed to materialise. and when an uprising against him began in 2011, he responded with tanks in the streets. as accounts of atrocities multiplied, bashar al—assad denied they were taking place, refusing to take responsibility. we don't kill our people. no government in the world kill its people unless it's led by a crazy person. for me as president, i became president because of the public support. it's impossible for anyone in this state to give order to kill. whoever it was that gave the actual orders, bashar al—assad headed a regime that killed too many of its own people to even count

with barrel bombs as well as bullets, and also with chemical weapons that are internationally banned. this was the aftermath of an attack with sarin gas on an opposition—held suburb of the capital in 2013. hundreds of people were killed. the west repeatedly said that bashar al—assad must go. but however sickening the violence, there was no stomach to really take on his regime. he repeatedly said he was merely fighting terrorists. when you shoot, you aim, and when you shoot, when you aim, you aim at terrorists in order to protect civilians. again, if you talk about casualty, that's war. you cannot have war without casualty. there were more chemical attacks and many, many more casualties. but back in 2015, russia

had stepped in to turn the tide of the war in bashar al—assad's favour. it was russian airstrikes and support from iran and hezbollah that helped defeat the rebels in aleppo and elsewhere, and led to this moment in 2023, after years of isolation, president assad at an arab league summit, his regional rehabilitation a symbol of his victory at the time. as he was in saudi arabia, the rebels were confined to the northwest of syria. but then came this major offensive by the rebels, who headed first for aleppo, syria's second city, a huge prize that they took over with ease. they went on to capture more and more territory from the assad regime, weakened because the support it had been able to rely on was no longer there. now he's gone, leaving a country deeply scarred by his brutal rule. caroline hawley, bbc news.

that's taking the regional reaction. with me now isjiyar gol from the bbc persian service we have these live pictures coming in showing massive celebrations in the country, we know that they are about 3.6 million syrians who are refugees million syrians who are