Syrian rebels say Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus and claim to have captured capital – as it happened

Rebels say Damascus is free' of the tyrant' Bashar al-Assad after lightning advance across the country

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• Full report: Rebels say they have advanced into Damascus as residents report sound of gunfire
• Live updates: Syrian rebels say they have captured capital as Bashar al-Assad reported to have fled Damascus

Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qaida affiliate, said on Saturday it has a duty to protect governmental, international and UN offices in Syria.

Meanwhile, in Doha, the UN special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, urged calm" and avoidance of bloodshed".