‘Unjust and tyrannical rule’: How world reacted to Assad’s ouster from Syria

Governments, both allies and opponents of Assad, rushed to grasp the shocking turn of events and evaluate its impact on the Middle East and

In Lebanon, thousands of Syrians made their way to the Masnaa border crossing to return to their homeland, despite the uncertainty surrounding the situation.

“Anything is better than Bashar,” said Sami Abdel-Latif, a refugee from Hama who was heading back to join his wife and four children.

“This is a feeling we’ve been waiting 14 years for,” said Malak Matar, who was preparing to return to the capital Damascus. Now, he said, “Syrians have to create a state that is well organised and take care of their country.”

Many citizens in Syria’s neighbouring countries reacted with joy to news Assad was gone. In Jordan’s capital, Amman, resident Muhab al-Majali said his fall marked the end of “unjust and tyrannical rule”.

“I believe that the future is beautiful and prosperous for the Syrians,” he said.

Others remained uncertain, given the region’s history of the 2011 Arab Spring’s democratic hopes fading into conflict and authoritarianism.

Saeed Sawy, an engineer in Cairo, predicted that Syria’s rebel factions would turn on each other in a struggle for control of the country’s future.

“We saw this happen before,” he said. “We saw this in Libya, in Tunisia, in Yemen and Sudan. People rejoice over the fall of tyrants, then they disagree and fight, and a civil war starts.”

Syria’s neighbours increased security along their borders, with Lebanon closing all but one land crossing with Syria and Jordan shutting a border post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces had temporarily taken control of a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement, after Syrian troops abandoned their positions.

Airstrikes were reported on a military airport near Damascus, previously targeted by Israel, as well as other Syrian military sites.

Iran, a staunch ally of Assad, called for the Syrian people to determine their country’s future “without harmful foreign interference.”

The foreign ministry in Tehran said that Iran supports Syria’s unity and national sovereignty, expressing hopes for “the end of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist activities, and the beginning of a national dialogue” involving all groups.

The Iraqi government, which is close to Iran, said it “supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue” for Syria. Egypt’s foreign ministry urged a “comprehensive political process” to establish a new era of peace in the war-torn county.

The head of Yemen’s internationally recognised government welcomed the fall of Assad as “a historic moment”. Yemen’s government is at war with the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran.

Turkiye has backed anti-Assad militant groups in Syria, and could play a key role in what happens next. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the fall of Assad brought “hope.” He called on the world to help “unite and reconstruct” Syria.

Fidan, who met in Qatar on Saturday with diplomats from Russia and Iran, the main backers of the Assad regime, said regional and global powers should try “to act with prudence and calm”.

Europe urges calm

The war sent millions of Syrians fleeing to Europe and expatriates took to the streets in celebration in cities including Paris, London, Stockholm, Helsinki and Athens.

Many European governments welcomed Assad’s departure while urging a rapid return to stability.

“The end of Assad’s dictatorship is a positive and long-awaited development,” said Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s newly appointed foreign policy chief, in a post on X.

“Our priority is to ensure security in the region. I will work with all the constructive partners, in Syria and the region.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement that the end of Assad’s rule was “good news,” adding that “what matters now is that law and order are quickly restored in Syria.” France’s foreign ministry welcomed the fall of Assad, saying “the Syrian people have suffered too much”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the end of Assad’s “barbaric regime”.

“We call on all sides to protect civilians and minorities and ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable in the coming hours and days,” he said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for calm and urged work to ensure an “orderly political transition to renewed institutions”.

Russia, which backed Assad with troops and warplanes, said it has been following the “dramatic events” in Syria “with extreme concern.”

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, wrote on X that the ousted Syrian leader had suffered the fate of “all dictators who bet on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. He always betrays those who rely on him.”

The US assesses events

In Washington, President Joe Biden was meeting with his national security team Sunday for an update on the situation in Syria.

President-elect Donald Trump said in a social media post Saturday, before Assad’s fall was confirmed: “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!”

The US has about 900 troops in Syria, including US forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group.

With PTI inputs