Prisoners Freed After Damascus Coup: Assad Overthrown by Syrian Rebels

Syrian rebels have claimed victory in a major coup against President Bashar al-Assad, declaring that they have taken control of Damascus on Sunday and forced the president into exile, effectively ending decades of authoritarian rule by the Assad family after over 13 years of civil war.

In a significant blow to Assad's regime, the rebels – predominantly Islamist factions – also struck a major setback to the influence of Russia and Iran in the Middle East. Both countries had been strong allies of Assad, providing military and diplomatic support during crucial phases of the civil war, but recent tensions have weakened their position in Syria.

As news of the coup spread, prisoners who had been held under Assad's regime flooded the streets of Damascus, cheering and celebrating their newfound freedom after years of harsh imprisonment. Many of them had spent decades incarcerated in some of the most notorious prisons in Syria, which became symbols of the brutal repression of Assad’s government.

Across the country, emotional reunions took place as families were reunited with their long-lost loved ones. Children, siblings, spouses, and parents, many of whom had been separated for years, embraced tearfully as Syria’s 50-year-long Assad family rule came to a dramatic end.

Newly released prisoners poured into the streets of Damascus, raising both hands in victory to indicate the number of years they had spent behind bars. They questioned passersby about the sudden upheaval, not immediately understanding that Assad had fallen. 

"We overthrew the government!" one prisoner shouted, leaping with joy in a video that spread quickly on social media. Meanwhile, a man watching the jubilant ex-prisoners running through the streets in the early morning hours shook his head in disbelief, exclaiming, “Oh my God, prisoners!”

The events of Sunday have marked a historic turning point for Syria, signaling the collapse of one of the longest-running dynastic regimes in the Middle East. This dramatic change has sent shockwaves throughout the region, leaving the future of Syria uncertain as various factions and international powers vie for influence in the power vacuum left by Assad's departure.

The fall of Damascus is likely to have far-reaching consequences not only for Syria but for the broader geopolitics of the Middle East, as the region braces for the aftermath of the collapse of one of its most enduring and controversial regimes.