'The future is ours' says rebel leader as Assad's government ousted from Syria
8 December 2024, 13:33 | Updated: 9 December 2024, 07:50
The leader of rebel forces in Syria has declared "the future is ours" in the group's first statement since the toppling of Assad's government.
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A statement read out on Syrian state TV declared that "the future is ours".
Abu Muhammed al Jolani, commander of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), said on Sunday there is "no room for turning back".
He added that his group is "determined" to continue on the path it started back in 2011.
It comes after the Syrian government was toppled on Sunday, with rebels taking control of Homs overnight, before entering Damascus a matter of hours later.
It's an unprecedented move that shocked many - in part, due to the speed with which the rebels took control of key cities, leading many to label it a highly orchestrated plan.
The rebel group has previously been linked to al Qaeda but cut ties in 2016 and has since positioned itself as attempting to overthrow the Assad regime.
The offensive picked up pace on Saturday evening, with rebels sweeping through two major southern cities: Quneitra and Sanamayn.
The offensive began in the northern city of Aleppo last week and was carried out by multiple opponents of Mr Assad's regime.
Those involved in the rebellion fall under the banner of the Syrian National Army, backed by Turkey.
However the offensive has mostly been led by jihadi group HTS - which was once known as the Nusra Front and a former branch of al Qaeda.
It comes as Incoming president Donald Trump has vowed that the US will not get involved with the Syrian civil war as rebel groups look set to take the capital city Damascus.
The President-elect said on X: "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"
