Syrian prime minister uncertain of Assad’s whereabouts after rebels seize Damascus

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali will raise the whereabouts of figures such as President Bashar al-Assad, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad. Al-Jalali gave confirmation on December 8 that he had spoken to President Assad as recently as the previous evening and briefed him on deteriorating conditions in the capital. In what would be his last conversation with Assad, the president responded cryptically: “We’ll see tomorrow.”

Earlier in the day, as rebel forces swept into the capital, Reuters quoted officials as saying that Assad, along with other top officials, fled the city. Gen. Ali Abdullah said in a statement from the Syrian army commander. Ali Abdullah said in a statement from the Syrian army commander. Ali Abdullah said in a statement from the Syrian army command Still at home at the time, Al-Jalali assured the public that he was ready to maintain the continuity of the government. He also said he was prepared to work with any leaders the Syrian people may select.

December 8 has shrouded the recently united Syria in political uncertainty. Now that Assad’s whereabouts are unclear and rebel forces have made huge advances in the capital, there are questions about the fate of Syria’s leadership. Indeed, al-Jalali’s statement that he would support any leadership the people choose potentially opens the door for whatever may come next, although the exact nature of that remains to be seen. Al-Jalali’s willingness to support new leadership, if it emerges, also suggests a potential change or reform, but raises questions over who could take over the reins, according to Reuters.

For more than two decades, Bashar al-Assad has exercised a tight grip on Syria’s government, using military might, political alliances, and international support. His regime, though, has been under growing strain in recent years, particularly because of the Syrian Civil War, which has resulted in deep territorial losses at the hands of rebel groups. The conflict started in 2011 as a series of peaceful protests, only to develop into a devastating war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands. Assad’s hold on power had begun to falter despite military support from Russia and Iran, forcing him to issue a rare appeal for assistance amid rebel offensives near Damascus.

The capture of the capital marks a dramatic reversal in fortunes in the conflict, one that could signal the unraveling of Assad’s regime. It poses critical questions about Syria’s future: Is the end of the Assad family’s rule a consequence of the departure of the president? If the existing government collapses, who can fill the leadership vacuum in Syria? Such uncertainties have kept both Syrians and international actors on their toes, with the country’s future still very much unforeseeable.

The very nature of Prime Minister al-Jalali’s comments surrounding supporting whatever leadership the Syrian people decide upon only distills that sense of ambiguity. Though he said he wanted to make sure the government carried on, he has not made clear what role, if any, he will have in any new political arrangement. “A political landscape of Syria is now wide open, with no clear successor to Assad, and the coming days will surely determine if the country will witness either dawn of leadership or descend into further instability.”

Events in Syria continue to play out and are likely to dramatically change the country’s political direction. As for the world’s reaction, the attention is on the next steps in Damascus, and the potential for new leadership or an even deeper crisis. The absence of Assad, and the uncertainty about his whereabouts, represents a turning point in the history of Syria — a country on the verge of change, yet up in the air on what that change should entail.