UK PM: We welcome Assad’s departure… his regime was barbaric

Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK), has applauded President Bashar al-Assad’s departure from Syria.

Multiple media reports said Assad fled Syria shortly after armed rebels seized Damascus, the seat of power, in the early hours of Sunday.

Analysts have described the stunning collapse of more than 50 years of the Assad family rule in Syria as a historic moment.

Some 14 years ago, Syrians held peaceful protests against an oppressive government. The act was met with violence that quickly spiralled into a bloody civil war.

Estimates suggest that around 580,000 people have died due to the conflict, with pro-Assad forces responsible for over 90 percent of civilian casualties.

Bashar, who succeeded Hafez, his father, in 2000, inherited a regime marked by a totalitarian state structure.

The junior Assad was initially perceived as a potential reformer, but his presidency quickly devolved into authoritarianism, fraught with numerous human rights abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and the use of chemical weapons against civilians.

The rebels who seized the Syrian capital said their act liberated the Middle Eastern country.

In Damascus, residents trampled on Hafez’s fallen statue, and in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, footage showed residents jubilating.

In a statement on Sunday, Starmer described the developments as “unprecedented”.

“We are speaking to our partners in the region and monitoring the situation closely,” he added.

“The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long, and we welcome his departure.

“Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails and peace and stability are restored.”

The UK prime minister urged all sides to protect civilians and minorities and ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable in the coming times.