Syrians celebrate fall of Assad as Israel is accused of land grab
CNN
Middle Eastern nations have condemned Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone that separates the occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria, as the country charts a path forward after Assad. Follow live news updates.
• CNN has been inside the garage of former President Bashar al-Assad, which was filled with dozens of luxury vehicles. On the streets, young Syrians are celebrating Assad’s fall from power. • After seizing the demilitarized “area of separation” between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the rest of Syria, Israeli forces have advanced to a village just 16 miles from Damascus, a Syrian activist group said. CNN is unable to verify the claim. • The Israeli military also said it struck Syria’s chemical weapons capabilities, as the UN urged Israel to stop striking the country. • The regime’s outgoing prime minister agreed to hand over power to Syria’s rebels. A rebel-linked government leader has been appointed as caretaker prime minister. • The rebels said they will soon name senior Assad regime officials wanted for torture. The rebels have also declared a general amnesty for Syrian military conscripts. As Syrians look toward a brighter future in the days after former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was toppled, the wounds of the dictatorship remain front of mind.
