Another 15 women were wounded by the blast on the outskirts of the city of Manbij, east of Aleppo, according to the Syria Civil Defence.

The agency, which is also known as the White Helmets, said some of the wounded were in a critical condition and warned that the death toll might rise.

There was no immediate claim from any armed groups.

It was the second deadly car bomb attack in the Manbij area in three days.

On Saturday, two children and a woman were among four people killed by an explosion on a street in the city centre, the White Helmets said.

In his statement, he portrayed the extraordinary shift in Syria’s control as a result of US strategy which has fundamentally weakened the roles of Russia and Iran in the region, helping precipitate Assad’s demise.In reality, Washington never foresaw that its military support for Israel since the Hamas attacks last October and for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 would contribute to the collapse of half a century of Assad rule in Syria.

But it has, and now the US has to deal with the aftermath – a “historic opportunity” but a moment of “risk and uncertainty”, according to Biden.

Washington is trying to work out what comes next. Who rules Syria? The president met his national security team at the White House on Sunday morning.

The administration will not mourn Assad’s end, Iran’s emasculation or Russia’s humiliation in Syria.

Its fear is about a vacuum in which what it saw as an undesirable but relatively stabilised balance of forces could be filled by something it wants even less: a power grab by Islamist insurgents, including factions designated as terrorists by the US, unresponsive to the breadth of Syria’s wider population, potentially triggering further chaos and new risks for the region.

As Damascus echoes with celebratory gunfire at Assad’s downfall, most Syrians won’t share the American handwringing. The US will briefly join in on a moment to hail the demise of a brutal autocrat – but more profoundly it will fret about what fills the gap.

The Pentagon is already making clear American troops will stay put in eastern Syria, where it has a small number of forces officially to counter the Islamic State group.

Deputy US Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro has called on all parties to protect civilians, particularly minorities, and to respect international norms.

“We are aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give Isis space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations, and we’re determined to work with those partners to continue to degrade their capabilities,” he said.

US troops also train and equip what Washington sees as moderate Arab and Kurdish forces east of the Euphrates River and at the al-Tanf military base, close to the border with Iraq and Jordan.

We don’t know yet what approach Damascus will take to the US presence in Syria, but it seems likely Washington will now push for a negotiated stabilisation of the country leaning heavily on its favoured factions.

Earlier in Syria’s civil war, President Obama gave his permission for limited backing for what the US saw as moderate rebels elsewhere in the country. That was later abandoned as extremists began dominating the battlefield and Russia entered the war on Assad’s behalf.

Washington had since backed a United Nations process for a negotiated settlement between Assad and opposition forces. It’s likely this will transition into US calls for a mediated outcome between the rebels and the remnants of Assad’s regime.

The group that led the fortnight-long charge to Damascus – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – has repeatedly signalled its apparent rebrand, rejecting violent revenge and abandoning its former links to al-Qaeda. Washington will be deeply distrustful of the group, which it has designated as a foreign terrorist organisation.

But some from the region in close contact with US officials see this approach as reductive, even cynical. They urge Washington to embrace a process of transition in Damascus taking account of the breadth of Syrian opposition.

Mouaz Moustafa from the Washington-based Syrian Emergency Task Force – which coordinates with the US military and partner forces in Syria – has described what is unfolding as an “indescribable good” that the Americans must not reduce to the actions of one faction.

“There is an operations room that has multiple factions of different political stripes – some are secular, some are conservative – but they agree on one thing. They are going to liberate Syria from al-Qaeda, Isis, Iran, Russia, and they will allow people to have their country back,” he said.

In his statement, President Biden said some of the groups in Syria were “saying the right things now” but he would judge them on their actions.

Meanwhile President-elect Trump has been posting about Syria, describing it as a “mess” that the US should stay out of. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” he said.

In his comments he points blame at Obama and says Russia should now wash its hands of the country, apparently using its “weakened state” as a reason Moscow and Kyiv should engage in a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.

“I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act,” says Trump.

As president in 2019, Trump famously made a surprise announcement withdrawing US troops from Syria. His officials gradually rowed that back, fearing ceding control to Russia and a resurgence of the Islamic State group.

Trump may well have an eye to resuming his previous position.

Israel’s Golan Heights seizure ‘sabotage’ to Syria security: Saudi officials

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Israel’s land grab in the Syrian-controlled areas of the Golan Heights.

In a statement posted on X, Saudi officials wrote that “the attacks carried out by the Israeli occupation government through seizing the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and the targeting of Syrian territories by the Israeli occupation forces, confirm Israel’s continued violation of the rules of international law, and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability, and territorial integrity.”

Iran condemns Israeli actions in Syria, calls for UN intervention

Iran condemns Israel’s “repeated violations of Syrian infrastructure” and seizure of Syrian land, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Ismail Baghaei.

His comments came after Israeli troops took up positions in Syria near the occupied Golan Heights to create a so-called buffer zone and after a fresh wave of Israeli air strikes on military infrastructure in the country.

Baghaei said he considered Israel’s actions a violation of international law and called for an “immediate response” by the UN Security Council to “stop the aggression”.

Qatari officials speak with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: report

Qatari diplomats spoke with Syria’s leading rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as governments across the region are scrambling to forge new links with HTS and other rebel groups involved in the offensive that seized control of much of Syria.

Qatari officials also plan to speak with Mohamed al-Bashir, an HTS leader expected to lead Syria’s transitional administration, the official said, speaking anonymously to Reuters.

“The focus is on the need for HTS and other groups to maintain calm and preserve Syria’s public institutions during the transition period,” the official said.

Qatar’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment about the contacts with HTS.Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Minister of State at Qatar’s foreign ministry, said late that the country is communicating with “various parties on the ground” in Syria, without specifying who.

“Qatar has always kept its doors open to everyone, in line with its foreign policy,” Khulaifi said.

Hezbollah condemns Israeli strikes on Syria

Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has condemned increased Israeli strikes on Syria and said it stood by the country’s people, in its first comment since rebels overthrew the group’s ally, former President Bashar al-Assad.

Hezbollah lambasted Israel for “occupying more land in the Golan Heights” where it moved troops into a buffer zone after Assad fell, and for “striking and destroying the defensive capabilities of the Syrian state”.

“While we affirm our support for Syria and its people, we stress the necessity to preserve Syria’s unity,” it added.The statement makes no mention of al-Assad.

Germany, France ‘conditionally’ ready to ‘cooperate’ with new Syria leaders

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed the possibility of cooperating with Syria’s new leaders, the German chancellery has said.

“Both agreed that they were ready to cooperate with the new leadership on the basis of fundamental human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minorities,” Berlin said in a statement.

Iran condemns Israeli actions in Syria, calls for UN intervention

Iran condemns Israel’s “repeated violations of Syrian infrastructure” and seizure of Syrian land, according to Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Ismail Baqaei.

His comments came after Israeli troops took up positions in a buffer zone in Syria near the occupied Golan Heights to create a so-called buffer zone and after a fresh wave of Israeli air strikes on military infrastructure in the country.

Baqaei said he considered Israel’s actions a violation of international law and called for an “immediate response” by the UN Security Council to stop the aggression”.

‘One of the big potential losers here is going to be the Kurds’

At least three civilians were killed during protests in northern Syria, as people there took to the street to demand the expulsion of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

Colin Clarke, a director of research at The Soufan Center, a global security consultancy, said that the developments were “inevitable”.

“When we start trying to divide up who the winner and who the losers are from the overthrow of the al-Assad regime, one of the big potential losers here is going to be the Kurds, and one of the big potential winners is going to be Turkey. As we know the Kurds and the Turks have historic animosity and Erdogan is likely to use the current impasse to push for more leverage to go after the Kurds.”

The Kurds have long been backed by the United States, leading to a situation in which “you have two NATO allies backing different proxy groups in what’s going to be a very complex situation going forward,” Clarke added.

“A lot of analysts want to focus on the joy that Syrians are experiencing with freedom for the first time in five decades, and that’s absolutely heartwarming, but the hard part now begins, which is putting together a cohesive entity to govern the country.”

Israeli strikes in Syria ‘further challenging the transition’

It’s not just a one-time strike that Israel is conducting now, it’s a systemic one, and now they are saying that they are aiming to destroy Syria’s defence bases.

Today, they have hit three major airports. And it’s not only the military air bases that they have struck, they are also striking strategic facilities, they have hit the military headquarters, they have hit the intelligence headquarters, they are hitting the ammunition depots, and they are hitting some of the other places that they say were chemical weapons production houses.

The Israelis say that they have destroyed dozens of helicopters and aircraft. And the reason they are doing that is that they are concerned that these strategic facilities, this ammunition and military equipment could fall into the hands of the opposition.

But this policy is actually further challenging the transition period here.

For more than five decades, the Assad regime has ruled over Syria and now there is a new administration here, and the opposition is not experienced when it comes to state affairs, they are already facing numerous challenges, security challenges, and on top of that now, the Israeli attacks are coming again and again, destroying almost all facilities and constantly hitting the capital.

UN peacekeepers say Israel violated 1974 agreement in Syria

UN peacekeepers in Syria have told Israeli forces that their seizure of land in Syria constitutes a violation of an agreement established in 1974.

Back then, Syria and Israel signed the Agreement on Disengagement, which ended the Yom Kippur War. A UN peacekeeping force was also established, UNDOF, tasked with maintaining the ceasefire between the two countries.

After the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, Israel considered the deal null and therefore occupied Syrian land near the already-occupied Golan Heights.

“The peacekeepers at UNDOF informed the Israeli counterparts that these actions do constitute a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement that there should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation, and Israel and Syria must continue to uphold the terms of that 1974 agreement and preserve stability in the Golan,” UN secretary-general’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has said.

US, Jordanian military officials meet on Syria

General Michael Kurilla, chief of the US army’s Central Command (CENTCOM), met with Major General Yousef al-Huneiti, chairman of the Jordanian joint chiefs of staff, in Amman, a statement from CENTCOM says.

The pair “discussed efforts to enhance regional cooperation and security, strengthening US-Jordanian military cooperation, as well as the rapidly changing situation on the ground in Syria”, the statement reads.

The US reiterated its commitment to Jordan’s security, saying that it would aid the country should any new threats arise during this period of “transition” in Syria.

Large wave of Israeli strikes against Syrian air bases: Report

We’ve been replaying reports from the ground that air strikes had targeted bases near Damascus, Syria.

Now, Reuters news agency, citing two unnamed Syrian security sources, says Israeli planes bombed at least three major Syrian army air bases that housed dozens of helicopters and jets.

This is the biggest such wave of strikes on air bases since Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the security sources told Reuters.

Qamishli air base in northeast Syria, Shinshar base in the countryside of Homs and Aqaba airport southwest of the capital Damascus were all hit, the sources said.

Israel has also launched several strikes on a research centre on the outskirts of Damascus and a centre for electronic warfare near the Sayeda Zainab area of the capital.

Israel has just told the United Nations that it is involved in “limited” actions in Syria after the fall of al-Assad.Since yesterday, Israel has taken over a buffer zone next to its occupied land in the Golan Heights and carried out dozens of strikes against Syrian territory.

Opposition forces on Sunday said they had “liberated” the capital, Damascus, in a fast-moving offensive that saw them seize control of several cities.

While al-Assad’s whereabouts remain unknown, opposition fighters said his prime minister, Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali, would supervise state institutions until they were handed over.

In a statement later on Sunday, Pedersen described the long-running war in Syria as a “dark chapter” that “has left deep scars”, adding: “Today we look forward with cautious hope to the opening of a new one – one of peace, reconciliation, dignity and inclusion for all Syrians.”

“Today marks a watershed moment in Syria’s history – a nation that has endured nearly 14 years of relentless suffering and unspeakable loss,” he said, extending his “deepest solidarity to all who have borne the weight of death, destruction, detention and untold human rights violations”.

 The Syrian war started as a largely unarmed uprising against al-Assad in March 2011, but morphed into a full-blown war that dragged in foreign powers, killed hundreds of thousands of people and turned millions into refugees.

Al-Assad’s reported flight from Damascus comes less than two weeks after armed opposition groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched an offensive challenging more than five decades of domination by the al-Assad family.

Al-Assad had ruled Syria since 2000, when he inherited power from his father.

Pedersen acknowledged that “the challenges ahead remain immense”, stressing, however: “This is a moment to embrace the possibility of renewal … [and] a path toward a united and peaceful Syria.”

The UN special envoy emphasised, “The clear desire expressed by millions of Syrians that stable and inclusive transitional arrangements are put in place, that Syrian institutions continue to function.”

He said Syrian people should be helped to realise their “legitimate aspirations … [to] restore a unified Syria”.

The statement said Pedersen had heard from many Syrians, including armed groups and civil society organisations, and had noted “a will to protect their fellow Syrians … against retribution and harm”.

He appealed to all armed parties to “maintain … law and order, protect civilians and preserve public institutions”.

Pedersen also called on Syrians “to prioritise dialogue, unity and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society”.

“There must be a collective effort to secure peace and dignity for all.”

Joyous celebrations erupted in Damascus and other parts of the country, including along the border with neighbouring Lebanon, with many displaced Syrians deciding to return home.

The stunning opposition advance came after 13 years of brutal war, putting an end to more than half a century of the rule of the al-Assad family.

Here’s a selection of international reactions to the news. This page will be updated as more statements come in:

United Nations

“What is important is that we are able to find a situation where there is a political way out of this,” Geir Pedersen, UN envoy to Syria, said.

And that political way needs to be very different from what it has been before, it needs to be a process that is inclusive of everyone, and where we really focus on the need for unity, stability, where Syria is able to restore its sovereignty and its territory. There are lots of wounds that need to be healed.”

China

Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The Chinese government has actively assisted Chinese citizens who are willing to leave Syria in a safe and orderly way, and has maintained contact with… Chinese citizens who remain in Syria,” the ministry said.

“We urge the relevant Syrian parties to take practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” it added.

“At present, the Chinese embassy in Syria is still holding strong, and we will continue to provide full assistance to Chinese citizens in need.”

Germany

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called al-Assad’s fall “a great relief” for Syrians.

“The end of Assad represents for millions of people in Syria a great relief,” she said, adding, “the country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals, whatever form they take.”

Israel

Amichai Chikli, Israeli diaspora affairs minister, says the opposition advances in Syria “are far from a cause for celebration” for his country, as he calls for the renewal of Israel’s control at Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights and the establishment of a new line of defence based on the 1974 ceasefire line with Syria.

“Most of Syria is now under the control of affiliate organisations of” al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), he was quoted as saying by the Israel Hayom newspaper.

The majority of Syria’s Golan Heights region was occupied by Israel in 1967 and subsequently annexed in 1981.

 In a separate statement, the military said: “Following the recent events in Syria… the [army] has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defence, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel.”

Italy

“I am following with concerned attention the evolution of the situation in Syria,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X.

“I am in constant contact with our embassy in Damascus and with the office of the Prime Minister. I have called an emergency meeting,” he added.

Turkey

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Syria’s government “had collapsed and control of the country is changing hands.”Speaking at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Fidan said that “this didn’t happen overnight. For the last 13 years, the country has been in turmoil” since war began with al-Assad’s repression of democracy protests in 2011.

“Terrorist organisations must not be allowed to take advantage of this situation. Opposition groups must be united. We will work for stability and safety in Syria,” he added.

“The new Syria should not pose a threat to neighbours, it should eliminate threats.”

United Arab Emirates

Anwar Gargash, UAE diplomatic adviser to the president, said non-state actors should not be allowed the opportunity to exploit political vacuums.

“Unfolding events in Syria are also a clear indication of political failure and the destructive nature of conflict and chaos,” Gargash told the Manama Dialogue security forum in the Bahraini capital.

United States

“President [Joe] Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners,” the White House said in a statement.

Meanwhile, in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, President-elect Donald Trump said al-Assad had “fled his country” after losing the backing of Russia.

“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.

“There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”

Yemen

Moammar al-Eryani, information minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said on X: “The Yemenis, with their wisdom and steadfastness, are able to thwart the plans of Iran and its Houthi tool to violate their land and tamper with their destiny, just as those plans failed in Syria and Lebanon.”

He added that Iran’s “expansionist project, which used sectarian militias as tools to complete the Persian Crescent, sow chaos, undermine the sovereignty of states … is collapsing”.

Philippines

“The Philippines calls on all concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further violence, to avert further casualties and deaths of civilians,” the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said.

“We express concern regarding the situation of our Filipinos in Syria and advise them to take the necessary precautions and stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus.”

PIJ: Israel ‘exploiting’ Syria situation to expand occupation

The  Palestinian Islamic Jihad says Israel’s move to capture the buffer zone in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights was proof of the “expansion of its occupation on Syrian lands”, and showed that it is “the real enemy of the peoples of our nation”.

“The Israeli aggression is a blatant assault on the Syrian people and their will, and an exploitation of the situation for expansionist goals,” the group added.

Syrians in Kuala Lumpur celebrate fall of al-Assad

In front of the Syrian Embassy in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, several people celebrated the opposition’s capture of Damascus and the fall of the al-Assad government.

A convoy of cars has driven around various streets of the city, with opposition flags, chanting for Syria and its people.

Earlier, the Syrian opposition flag was raised on the embassy’s mast, and people distributed sweets in celebration of al-Assad’s ousting.

Syrian embassies worldwide change their social media photos after fall of al-Assad

Several Syrian embassies around the world changed their official social media profile pictures to the flag of the Syrian revolution after the announcement of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the opposition’s taking of control over the capital, Damascus.

The embassies include Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jakarta, Indonesia and Cairo, Egypt and others.

Some Syrian embassies also republished a statement from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the Syrian Arab Republic and its diplomatic missions abroad will continue to serve all citizens, managing their affairs, based on the trust it holds in representing the Syrian people, and that the homeland remains the highest.”

Iranian FM: ‘Assurances’ given that holy sites, embassy in Syria will be protected

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that the country has spoken with “various parties” about “the security of our embassy and our consulate in Aleppo, as well as the safety of the holy shrines of Zainab and Ruqayyah”, in Syria.

“We have been given assurances that the sanctity of these sites will be preserved and that the respect for our embassy will also be upheld”, he said, during a televised interview.

“Unfortunately, early this morning, there was an intrusion into our embassy. However, the scenes indicate that it was not an organized or armed intrusion, based on the footage we reviewed, it appears that some of those involved were ordinary people”, he added.

Iran’s Abbas Araghchi on fall of al-Assad regime

We have more for you from the Iranian foreign minister, from the televised interview he gave this evening on developments in Syria:

• During recent discussions with Bashar al-Assad, Iran raised numerous recommendations regarding the Syrian army.
• Iran emphasised the need to boost the army’s morale and suggested measures to achieve this. However, this responsibility primarily rested with President al-Assad to strengthen the motivation and morale of the army, while Iran provided assistance to the best of its ability.
• Another important issue was fostering greater interaction between the Syrian government and its people. Ultimately, the key to sustaining governments lies in public support.
• Iran also has a specific concern regarding the opportunistic behaviour of the Zionist [Israeli] regime. As of last night, there have been some movements suggesting an attempt to reclaim areas in the Golan Heights.
• Araghchi issues a serious warning regarding these developments, and is also aware that resistance groups in the region are closely monitoring these actions by the Zionist regime.

The Russian foreign ministry gave no further details about Assad’s whereabouts, but it was the first official statement saying he had fled the country.

Assad has not been pictured since he met Iranian foreign minister in Damascus a week ago. That day, he vowed to “crush” the rebels seizing territory with dizzying speed.

Early on Sunday morning, after their fighters entered the city without resistance, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies declared that “the tyrant Bashar al-Assad has fled”.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, also reported that a plane believed to be carrying Assad “left Syria via Damascus international airport before the army security forces left” the facility. Rami Abdul Rahman said he had information that the plane was meant to take off at 22:00 (20:00 GMT) on Saturday.

The Flightradar24 website did not record a departure around that time, although a Cham Wings Airlines Airbus A320 passenger plane did leave at around 00:56 on Sunday bound for Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The plane landed in Sharjah on time. But a diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates told reporters in Bahrain that he did not know if Assad was in the UAE.

Reuters news agency meanwhile cited two unnamed senior Syrian army officers as saying that Assad had boarded a Syrian Air plane at Damascus airport early on Sunday.

It noted that a Syrian Air Ilyushin Il-76T cargo plane took off from the airport at 03:59 local time (01:59 GMT) with an undisclosed destination.

According to data from Flightradar24, the plane initially flew east away from the capital before turning to the north-west and heading towards the Mediterranean coast, which is a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and is also home to Russian naval and air bases.

After flying over the central city of Homs – which fell to the rebels on Saturday night – at an altitude of 20,000ft (6,095m) the plane made a U-turn and started flying eastwards again while also losing altitude.

The plane’s transponder signal was lost at around 04:39 (02:39 GMT), when it was about 13km (8 miles) west of Homs and flying at an altitude 1,625ft (495m).

Flightradar24 said in a post on X that the aircraft “was old with an older transponder generation, so some data might be bad or missing”, that it was “flying in an area of GPS jamming, so some data might be bad”, and that there was not aware of any airports in the area where the signal was lost.

There have not been any reports of a plane crash in the same area.

Opposition forces on Sunday said they had “liberated” the capital, Damascus, in a lightning offensive. They said al-Assad had fled the city. His whereabouts are unknown.

In a statement, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) head Abu Mohammed al-Julani said al-Jalali, appointed prime minister by al-Assad in September, will remain at the helm until the transition.

Signed in his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, al-Julani’s statement banned military forces in Damascus from approaching public bodies and prohibited the firing of guns in the air.

For his part, al-Jalali said his government is ready to hand over power to any leadership chosen by the people.

“I am not leaving and I don’t intend to leave. I expect in a peaceful manner to guarantee the continuity of the public authorities and the institutions and the state apparatus and to guarantee the safety and security for all citizens,” he said in a video statement.

“And we are extending our hands even to the opposition, who extended their hands and gave assurances they will not cause any harm to any citizens who belong to this Syria of ours.”

In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Jalali said he had been in contact with the HTS leader to discuss managing the current transitional period, and said Syria should hold free elections.

He also said he did not know where al-Assad and his defence minister were, adding that he had lost communication with the president on Saturday night.

Separately, Syrian Communications Minister Eyad al-Khatib, in an interview with Al Arabiya, said he had been contacted by an HTS representative responsible for telecoms services.

They agreed that telecoms and the internet would continue to function, al-Khatib said.

In a Saturday morning missive on social media, Trump addressed the surprise opposition offensive that has redrawn the battle lines in the Syrian conflict.

Syria is a mess, but is not our friend,” Trump wrote, before switching to all uppercase letters for emphasis. “THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”

Trump campaigned for re-election in November’s presidential race by pushing an “America First” platform, one that critics feared could destabilise US alliances abroad.

In Syria, the US maintains no formal diplomatic relations with the government of embattled President Bashar al-Assad. But it does back the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition based largely in the northeast, as an ally in defeating ISIL (ISIS).

The war in Syria has been raging since 2011, when “Arab Spring” protests erupted against al-Assad and the government responded with a heavy-handed crackdown. The situation sparked a multi-sided conflict, with four main groups holding territory in Syria.

But the boundaries of the conflict shifted dramatically on November 27, when opposition fighters led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made a push from their northwestern stronghold of Idlib.

After reclaiming Aleppo in a lightning offensive, the opposition forces swept southward, capturing a string of government-held cities including Hama and Deraa and encircling other areas like Homs. By Saturday, they were kilometres from the capital, Damascus.

Trump, a Republican, noted the rapidly changing nature of the conflict in his Saturday post, calling the opposition offensive “unprecedented”. He predicted a “big move toward taking out Assad”.

Still, his post was largely focused on US relations with Russia and his ongoing rivalry with former President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

He made no mention of the Kurdish-led coalition, which holds about a quarter of Syria’s territory in many oil-rich regions.

Nor did Trump address the US troops currently in Syria, estimated to comprise fewer than 1,000 service members scattered across bases in places like Omar Oil Field and al-Shaddadi.

Instead, Trump pointed to Russian military weakness in Syria, where it backs al-Assad’s government.“Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years,” he wrote.

“But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them.”

Trump also used his post to take another jab at Obama, the predecessor to his first term.

During his time in office, from 2009 to 2017, Obama had called for al-Assad to step down and called the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict a “red line” that would result in “enormous consequences”.

But Obama ultimately opted not to launch a full-scale military campaign, resorting instead to targeted air strikes against ISIL (ISIS). And ultimately the Syrian government agreed to dismantle its chemical weapons programme, as part of a deal brokered by Russia.

“Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND,” Trump wrote on Saturday. “There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid.”

Still, US air attacks in the region have continued, even during the latest opposition offensive.

Just a few days ago, on December 3, the US conducted air strikes in Syria against weapons systems described as a “threat to US and coalition forces in Syria”.

But the administration of outgoing President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said the attacks against the weapons systems were no indication that the US was interested in joining the wider conflict.

“To be clear, these self-defense actions successfully eliminated imminent threats to U.S. personnel and were not linked to any broader activities in northwest Syria by other groups,” Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said in a statement.

Trump is slated to take over from Biden on January 20. But he has signalled he plans to disengage the US from overseas entanglements. He repeatedly told voters on the campaign trail, “I will prevent World War III from happening,” presenting himself as a candidate for peace.

Experts say US leaders may have other incentives to stay away from the Syrian conflict.

Joshua Landis, a Middle East studies professor at the University of Oklahoma, said the US is slated to face pressure from Turkiye, which considers the Kurdish fighters a “terrorist” threat.

“Turkiye is going to want the Americans to leave, and it’s going to want to attack the Kurds,” Landis said.

“It’s likely that President Trump, the new incoming president, will choose Turkiye over the Kurds.”

Speaking at the Doha Forum in the Qatari capital on Saturday, Lavrov said Russia, Iran and Turkiye expressed support for “dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition” in Syria.

The three countries have been involved since 2017 in the so-called Astana Format talks seeking a political settlement in Syria, and their top diplomats – Lavrov, Iran’s Abbas Araghchi and Turkiye’s Hakan Fidan met in a trilateral format on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.

“We called for [an] immediate end to hostile activities. We stated, all of us, that we want the [United Nations] Resolution 2254 to be fully implemented, and for this purpose, called for the dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition,” Lavrov said.

Resolution 2254 (PDF) outlines a commitment to the “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity” of Syria and says the only solution to the years-long conflict will be through “an inclusive and Syrian-led political process”.

Asked whether Moscow – a key backer of al-Assad and the Syrian army – believes the Syrian president can hang on to power, Lavrov said he was “not in the business of guessing”.

“We agreed today with Iran and Turkiye to issue a strong call, which I described, and we will be doing some specific steps to make sure that this call is heeded,” he said.

Lavrov’s comments came as fighters led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) armed group have made a lightning advance in Syria over days, taking control of key cities, including Aleppo and Hama.

Late on Friday, the rebels said they had reached the edge of Homs, a strategic city linking the capital Damascus to coastal parts of the country where al-Assad enjoys support from the Alawite community.

In a post on Telegram on Saturday afternoon, an opposition commander said the HTS-led group’s forces had begun “operations” inside Homs.

Opposition fighters have also made gains in Deraa and Sweida, in southwestern Syria near the border with Jordan, and taken control of some towns in the Damascus countryside.

At Saturday’s Doha Forum, Lavrov said Russia was “absolutely convinced of the inadmissibility to use terrorists like HTS to achieve geopolitical purposes”.

“We’re trying to do everything not to allow terrorists to prevail; even if they say they are no longer terrorists,” he said.

Samuel Ramani, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said the Russian foreign minister “was trying to project an image of strength and being in control”.

“He was trying to downplay fears that al-Assad’s regime in Syria is on the imminent brink of collapse, instead talking about how he’s doing all he can to promote the sovereignty of Syria and to try to stabilise the situation,” he said.

Ramani said the opposition forces’ rapid advance appears to have caught Moscow off-guard.

“They have been watching and they have been spectators just like us to what’s unfolding in Syria, and they don’t really seem to have a very clear game plan to keep al-Assad in power.”