Mena Today

The sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad's rule over Syria marks the culmination of a nearly 14-year rebellion and a key moment in a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced half the population and drew in outside powers.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump made bold statements on the social media platform Truth, alleging that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country and criticizing Russia for its involvement in Syria.

Syrian rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad's ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing him to flee and ending his family's decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East.

Syrian government forces abandoned the key city of Homs on Saturday after less than a day of fighting, leaving President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule dangling by a thread with insurgents also advancing towards the capital Damascus.

Morocco's state-owned rail operator, ONCF, is seeking $8.8 billion from investors to finance its expansion plan, the head of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has said.

Two strategically-important Russian military facilities in Syria and Moscow's very presence in the Middle East are under serious threat from rapidly advancing insurgents, Russian war bloggers have warned.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday prompted by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law this week, but the leader of his own party said the president would eventually step down.

The office of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a statement on Saturday, affirming that he remains in the capital, Damascus, and continues to carry out his duties. 

 President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday the U.S. should not be involved in the conflict in Syria, where rebel forces are threatening the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said the situation in Syria, where rebels are pressing a rapid advance that is threatening President Bashar al-Assad's grip on power, was creating a new weakness for militant Lebanese group Hezbollah and for Iran.

Iran's acceleration in its enrichment of uranium to close to bomb grade is "extremely serious", has no civilian justification and contradicts Tehran's assertions on wanting serious nuclear negotiations, a Western diplomatic source said on Saturday.

President Bashar al-Assad used Russian and Iranian firepower to beat back rebel forces during years of civil war but never defeated them, leaving him vulnerable when his allies were distracted by wars elsewhere and his enemies went on the march.