Intensive search underway for al-Assad

(Patria) - The search for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who left the country last night, is underway, and rebels are questioning high-ranking military officials and intelligence officers who may have information about the whereabouts of the fugitive president, sources close to the rebels said.

Let us recall that rebels entered Damascus and on Sunday at dawn declared the capital of Syria a "free city", claiming that Assad had fled.

So far, al-Assad has not made a statement nor has he been seen by the public since the rebels entered the capital.

Meanwhile, unverified claims have begun circulating on social media that a plane allegedly used by Assad to flee the country has crashed. According to unconfirmed reports, the plane suddenly lost altitude and disappeared from radar near Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Syrian rebel forces announced that they have "taken the capital Damascus and overthrown the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad". Rebels announced this this morning in a televised statement, adding that all prisoners have been released.