The Syrian capital, Damascus, witnessed a state of chaos and “security breakdown” following the fall of the Syrian regime.

On Sunday, December 8, the city of Damascus is experiencing theft, looting, and random gunfire in several neighborhoods, amidst a “clear absence” of the rule of law, according to residents in Damascus who spoke to Enab Baladi.

Combatants affiliated with the Military Operations Administration reported that they are trying to control the chaos through checkpoints in some vital areas, but their efforts need “support from larger military reinforcements.”

Enab Baladi observed that cases of looting have targeted both public and private properties, including the theft of cars and looting of shops in several neighborhoods.

Local fighters in the suburbs of Damascus told Enab Baladi that unidentified armed individuals emptied light and medium weapons stores at the Mazzeh Military Airport and other sites belonging to the Fourth Division.

Local residents reported seeing children in the streets carrying pistols and grenades, a scene that reflects a state of “total unraveling of the security situation.”

Lawyer Michal Shammas, a member of the Defense Authority for Detainees of Opinion and Conscience in Syria, stated via his Facebook page that the forces that entered Damascus bear responsibility for what he described as “looting,” including tampering with official locations and destroying evidence and documents.

On another note, the governor of the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) announced that the bank had been subjected to a pre-planned robbery, adding that the Military Operations Administration managed to recover a portion of the stolen funds, according to the local site “Sawt al-Asima” (Damascus Voice).

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing called on its employees to return to work at all directorates, companies, and institutions and to preserve the facilities and equipment.

The president of the University of Damascus, Muhammad Osama al-Jabban, urged all deans, faculty members, staff, and students to come to the university premises on Monday as a “voluntary act to clean the university and protect it from vandals and thieves.”

The Military Operations Administration announced a curfew in Damascus today, Sunday, starting at 4 PM and continuing until 5 AM.

Strict directives were issued prohibiting approaching public institutions or firing guns in the air, to ensure the safety of properties and citizens.

With the entrance of opposition factions into Damascus, the commander of the Military Operations Administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), called on opposition factions to protect and preserve public properties, as they belong to the Syrian people, “in order to continue painting the picture of victory for the greatest revolution known in modern history,” as he described it.

The Military Operations Administration, responsible for the battles against the former Syrian regime, declared, “After 50 years of oppression under al-Baath rule, and 13 years of crime, tyranny, and displacement, and after a long struggle and confrontation of all forms of occupying forces, we announce today, on December 8, 2024, the end of this dark era and the beginning of a new era for Syria.”

The capital, Damascus, witnessed widespread celebration, as citizens flooded the public squares, hoping for an improvement in living conditions, including water, electricity, and fuel services.