Syrian rebels claim Damascus ‘liberated’ as Assad regime’s defenses crumble

(CNN) —& Syrian rebels have declared the capital Damascus “liberated” after entering the city to scant resistance from regime forces, while claiming President Bashar al-Assad has fled the capital, losing his decades-long grip on power.“Damascus has been liberated and the tyrant Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown, and oppressed prisoners in regime prisons have been released,” a spokesperson said, reading from a statement on state television on Sunday, surrounded by roughly a dozen other rebels.“We ask people and fighters to protect all property in Free Syria… long live Syria free for all Syrians of all sects,” he added.The removal of Assad – who has not been heard from since the rebels’ claim – would bring an end to more than 50 years of his family’s autocratic rule of the nation of about 23 million, which has been buffeted and fractured by more than a decade of civil war.Celebratory gunfire was heard in Damascus, as word spread of Assad fleeing the capital. Footage shared on social media and verified by CNN showed similar scenes in Aleppo, which fell to the rebels just over a week ago as they launched a surprise lightning offensive which has since swept several major cities.The sheer speed...