President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria, ending 50 years of authoritarian rule by his family. Over the weekend, rebels who had already taken Aleppo and Hama began to close in on the city of Homs and set their eyes on the capital Damascus. As it became clear that Assad had fled, the BBC's Lina Sinjab crossed the border from Lebanon, becoming the first western journalists to report from Damascus as a new era began. She tells Azadeh Moshiri how some Syrians celebrated while others looted the president's former home. And our Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, explains what the future might hold for Syria, now that everything has changed. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Richard Moran and Sergi Forcada Freixas Sound engineer: Mike Regaard Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Hi there.
I'm Azadeh Moshiri from the BBC World Service.
This is the global story.
A stunning turn of events in Syria.
After more than five decades, the Assad dynasty has ended.
Bashar Al Assad preserved his power despite a civil war that gripped the country for more than 10 years and killed hundreds of thousands of people.
With the help of Iran, Russia and the Lebanese Hezbollah, he fought off rebel groups made up of the jihadist extremists like Islamic State and militias supported by the US until now.
A sudden advance by a coalition of rebel groups while Assad's allies were distracted has thrust Syria back into the spotlight and culminated in an extraordinary 24 hours.
Hayat Tahir Al Sham, who had designated a terrorist organization by the US and the uk, have led these groups to a startling victory over Assad rule.
So how did it happen and what does it mean for Syrians and a region already in the throes of violence and uncertainty?