Tomb of Bashar al-Assad's father set ablaze in Qardaha

The mausoleum of Hafez al-Assad, the former Syrian president and father of Bashar al-Assad, was set ablaze in his native town of Qardaha, as captured in footage by AFP on Wednesday.

Rebel fighters, dressed in military fatigues, along with local youths, were observed watching the structure engulfed in flames.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the rebels were responsible for igniting the fire at the mausoleum, which is situated in the heart of Latakia, a stronghold of Assad's Alawite community.

The footage revealed significant damage to the mausoleum, with Hafez's tomb being completely destroyed by the fire.

This expansive structure, perched on a hill, features a complex architectural design characterized by multiple arches and a façade adorned with intricately carved stone decorations.

Additionally, the mausoleum contains the graves of other members of the Assad family, including Bashar’s brother Bassel, who was poised to succeed their father before his untimely death in a car accident in 1994.

On Sunday, a rapid offensive led by Islamist factions captured critical cities, advancing towards Damascus and compelling Assad to flee, thereby concluding over five decades of his family's governance.