Syrian opposition flag raised at embassy in Brussels

By Selen Valente Rasquinho

BRUSSELS (AA) - The Syrian opposition's revolutionary flag was raised Monday at the Syrian Embassy in Belgium's capital Brussels in an historic moment marking the fall of Syria's Assad regime.

The symbolic change reflected the seismic political shift in Syria.

Security around the building was notably tight, with Belgian police erecting iron barriers to secure the area as the transition unfolded.

On Sunday, Syrians gathered in front of Brussels Central Train Station and in various neighborhoods to mark the regime's collapse.

The festive gatherings, filled with chants and the waving of revolutionary flags, took place under the watchful eye of law enforcement to ensure public safety.

On Nov. 27, Syrian opposition forces launched a 10-day lightning offensive, capturing key cities, and then on Dec. 8 the capital Damascus. The rapid advance, supported by defecting military units, led to the collapse of the Assad regime after 13 years of civil war.

Assad and his family fled to Moscow, where Russia granted them asylum.