Opposition forces declare Syria free from Assad’s rule as the president reportedly flees the country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is believed to have fled Damascus to an unknown destination as opposition fighters entered the capital and people poured into the streets and public squares to celebrate.

Fighters have entered the heart of Damascus, declaring a “new era” without revenge and inviting Syrians abroad to return.

Hadi al-Bahra, who leads the Syrian political opposition coalition abroad, declared Damascus “free of al-Assad” and congratulated the Syrian people.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said he remained in his home, was ready to work with the opposition and wanted to ensure that public institutions continued to function.

At the same time, Abu Mohamed al-Julani, head of the main fighting group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has ordered opposition fighters not to attack public institutions and services.

Celebrations of freedom

Witnesses report jubilation in Damascus with shouts of “Freedom!” Freedom!” as Syrians celebrate the end of the more than 50-year rule of Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez before him.

The militants released prisoners held in Sednaya prison north of Damascus, as they have done in other towns they captured during their lightning advance over the past 10 days or so.

Soldiers reportedly dropped their weapons in the face of advancing rebels, and early Sunday morning army leadership confirmed that al-Assad’s rule had ended, Reuters reported.

The same jubilant scenes were seen just hours earlier when militants entered and took control of the city of Homs, two hours’ drive north of Damascus, amid little or no resistance.

The strategic location of Homs meant that once the rebels controlled it, they had severed communications between the capital and al-Assad’s coastal strongholds of Lattakia and Tartus.