Syria rebels News

Syrian rebels declared the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, ending his family's decades-long rule, and raised their green-white-black-red flag across the country. The current Syrian flag, in use since 1980, symbolizes Arab unity and past ties with the United Arab Republic. The rebel flag, inspired by Syria's 1932 independence flag, has become a symbol of freedom and opposition to Assad. With this monumental shift, debates on adopting the rebel flag as Syria's official symbol are gaining momentum. (Picture Credit - AP, IANS)

As the opposition rebels reached the suburbs of the capital, the whereabouts of Bashar Assad, who has been ruling the country for 24 years, were unknown.

Syrian rebels in the southern city of Daraa were surrendering their heavy weapons to government forces today, state media said, under a deal brokered by regime ally Russia.

The rebels on Wednesday said they were temporarily pulling out of the talks -- sponsored by regime backers Russia and Iran and opposition supporter Turkey -- over air strikes against civilians.  

Kazakhstan`s Foreign Ministry said Syria`s rebel delegation was expected in Astana on Wednesday night for peace talks this week aimed at ending the six-year civil war, a spokesman for the ministry said.

The Syrian government is prepared to swap prisoners in its jails for people "kidnapped by terrorist groups", state television reported on Monday, citing an official source.

Russia, Iran and Turkey on Tuesday agreed to guarantee Syria peace talks and backed expanding a ceasefire in the war-torn country, the Russian foreign minister said after talks with counterparts.

Civilians and rebel fighters were to start evacuating from Syria's Aleppo "within hours" under a deal that would end years of opposition resistance in the city.

The UN voiced concern Friday that hundreds of men may have gone missing after fleeing into government-controlled parts of Aleppo and said armed groups were reportedly blocking civilians from leaving the shrinking areas under their control.

State media said at least 12 people had been killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, after an assault that began with a double car bomb attack.

The defeat for IS came as John Kerry was due to meet European allies in London as part of a new diplomatic push to end Syria's conflict.

A Syrian coalition of jihadists and Islamist rebels on Saturday seized key positions south of Aleppo as they press a major offensive to break the government siege of the city, a monitor said.

 Syrian rebels fought fierce battles with regime forces in a failed bid to reopen their only supply route into Aleppo city overnight, losing at least 29 combatants, a monitor said Sunday.

Russian warplanes carried out intense air strikes on rebel strongholds in Syria today hours before a ceasefire is due to come into force, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

U.S. President Barack Obama urged Russia on Sunday to stop bombing "moderate" rebels in Syria in support of its ally Bashar al-Assad, a campaign seen in the West as a major obstacle to latest efforts to end the war.

The Syrian army on Wednesday cut the last supply route linking opposition forces in the northern city of Aleppo to the Turkish border, a military source said, in a major blow to the rebels.

 Syrian opposition forces say they will never accept President Bashar al-Assad`s rule, after signs that Western powers may be willing to work with the embattled leader to end the war.