Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Jalali has delivered a televised address to the nation amid reports that President Bashar al-Assad's plane was shot down as he attempted escape from Damascus. The PM has expressed readiness to work with the new regime as Sytrian rebels claimed they had control of Damascus.
"Any leadership chosen by the Syrian people, we are ready to co-operate with it...," said Jalali.
Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa released a video as well. He said that going near public institutions was prohibited and that these institutions will remain under supervision of Jalali, whom he regarded as "former prime minister", until the official handover.
The Syrian civil war, raging for last 13 years, had largely become a stalemate between Assad's government forces and rebels. But on November 27, Hayat Tahrir al-sham (HTS), a rebel group, launched a lightning offensive with allied rebel groups. This saw the rebels quickly capturing large swathes of land in Syria including major cities like Aleppo, Homs and now Damascus.
Syrian rebels have for long enjoyed support from the United States while Russia, Iran and Turkey have put their weight behind the Assad regime.
Russia is currently occupied in Ukraine war and Iran is embroiled in military equations arising from Israel-Hamas war.
Diplomatic movements however, have gained pace. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has met his Turkish and Iranian counterparts and has appealed for a dialogue to resolve situation in Syria.
Is Assad dead?
There is no official confirmation or credible report to say whether he is alive or not. However, it is certain that he left Damascus as rebel forces closed in.
Various claims on social media have said that Assad's plane was shot down. But Syrian PM did not address the topic in his televised speech.
FPJ has not independently verified the claim of Assad's plane being shot down.
