International community seeks stability in Syria after Assad overthrow

Edited by Emily Atkinson, with Barbara Plett Usher, Feras Kilani and Lina Sinjab in Damascus, BBC, Dec.9: World leaders are hoping that stability can be preserved in Syria after Bashar al-Assad's regime was overthrown by rebels on Sunday.

US President Joe Biden vows support for partners in the region, diplomacy and if necessary military force to prevent Syria descending into chaos.

Assad is in Moscow after fleeing Damascus, Russian state media report, and will reportedly get asylum there.

He fled when rebel group HTS swept into the capital this weekend.

On Sunday, rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani addressed cheering crowds in a Damascus mosque - our correspondent Feras Kilani was there.

The rebels have been releasing inmates from Syria's prisons, as many more are reported to still be in captivity underground.

Syrian political groups must 'sit at same table' to shape country's future - opposition politician

Image source: Getty Images

The fall of the Assad regime is an opportunity for Syrian politicians of all stripes to "sit at the same table" to shape the next phase of the country's history, says Dima Moussa, vice president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

Moussa, who has been living in Turkey since 2013, told BBC's Newsday: "Transition requires coming together of all Syrian people, including those who are carrying arms.

"We have turned an amazingly dark age in the history of Syria."

Asked how to ensure a peaceful transition when opposition parties have different political stands, she said: "Of course we are all going to fight for what we want. We just want to do it in a peaceful manner."

Moussa is known for her liberal feminist views, while rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani who spearheaded Assad's ousting has a jihadist past.

"We want to do things differently... And I think today there is the desire [and] ability for Syrians to sit together," Moussa said, adding that she plans to return to Syria.

What are the key international players saying?

Several countries have vested interests in the future of Syria, including President Assad’s allies, and say they are keen to play a role in supporting a new government.

Russia, which has reportedly given Assad and his family asylum in Moscow, has said that its military bases in the country are on “high alert” but an unnamed Kremlin source has told Russian media that their safety has been guaranteed by the rebels. Moscow is calling for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in order to discuss what happens next.

Iran, which also backed the Assad regime, has said that it expects “friendly” relations with Syria to continue. In a statement, its foreign ministry calls for “the initiation of national dialogue involving all segments of Syrian society to establish an inclusive governance structure that represents all Syrians”.

Turkey, which backs some of the rebel groups, says it will “intensify” efforts to help secure Syria’s peaceful and stable future in the coming days. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that this includes looking for a way to repatriate millions of Syrians who have fled during the civil war – many of whom have ended up in Turkey.

US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has said Syria is facing a moment of “historic opportunity” but America is also worried about a possible power vacuum and has already struck what it says are areas in eastern Syria where the Islamic State terror group is restoring itself.

Other countries, including China, say they are watching developments in Syria closely.

Efforts to assess new Syrian reality continue

Welcome to our live coverage of the fall of the Assad regime and the resulting attempts to establish a new order in Syria.

It has been just over a day since rebel forces declared that the government had fallen after they took the capital, Damascus.

President Bashar al-Assad, who fled as the rebels closed in, is now thought to be in Russia, having been offered asylum.

Meanwhile, the international community is trying to assess the situation and how to interact with the various rebel factions.