Starmer welcomes fall of Assad’s ‘barbaric regime’ and aims to ‘restore stability’ in Syria and provide ‘essential aid’

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the fall of Bashar Assad’s “barbaric regime” in Syria, following a dramatic rebel takeover of Damascus.

The development marks an unprecedented shift in Syria’s political landscape, with the Prime Minister calling for the restoration of peace and stability in the region.

“The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure,” the Prime Minister said in response to the weekend’s events.

A lightning rebel offensive seized control of Damascus overnight on Sunday, with President Assad reportedly fleeing the country.

The UK Government had taken preemptive action, evacuating British citizens over the weekend before the situation reached crisis point.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner confirmed the Foreign Office had implemented an evacuation plan ahead of the weekend’s developments.

The exact number of UK nationals evacuated from Syria has not been disclosed by officials.

The Prime Minister called on all sides to protect civilians and ensure essential aid can reach those most vulnerable in Syria.

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“Our focus is now on ensuring a political solution prevails, and peace and stability is restored,” Starmer stated.

The government is working closely with regional partners and monitoring the situation, describing recent developments as “unprecedented.”

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), currently the leading insurgent group in Syria, remains a banned organisation in the UK.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner expressed caution about Syria’s future direction, noting that while “Assad wasn’t exactly good to the Syrian people,” the country should not move in a radical direction.

“Dictatorship and terrorism creates problems for the people of Syria, who have faced so much already, and also destabilises the region,” Rayner said.