Syrian rebel fighters have destroyed the tomb of late president Hafez al-Assad, father of ousted president Bashar, in the family's hometown. Videos verified by the BBC showed armed men chanting as they walked around the burning mausoleum in Qardaha, in the north-west of the coastal Latakia region.

"Perhaps Islamic rule will come … and the regime will become totalitarian again," SDC adviser Riad Darar told Newsweek.

Assad, combined to rule Syria for more than 50 years, always with an iron fist that crushed dissent and relied on the country's feared security forces.

The luxurious compound, made up of three six-story buildings surrounded by manicured gardens, was a symbol of Assad’s power.

Eyewitness footage shows Syrian men gathering around the burning tomb of ousted president Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad. Credit: Social Media

Syrian rebel fighters have destroyed the tomb of former president Hafez al-Assad, father of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, in a symbolic move marking the end of the Assad family’s 54-year rule. Videos online show armed rebels,

Ahmed al-Sharaa meets in Damascus with Turkish top diplomat and Lebanese Druze leader, vowing to end 'negative interference in Lebanon

The tomb of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's father Hafez was torched in his hometown of Qardaha, footage taken Wednesday, December 11, showed, with rebel fighters in fatigues and young men watching it burn.

As rebels seize control in Syria after more than a decade of war, the future is uncertain. Key concerns include al-Assad's allies, regional dynamics, and potential for further conflict.View on euronew

Syria has had a week like no other, rebels toppling President Bashar al-Assad and opening Saydnaya prison, while the hunt for American Austin Tice continues.

Syria’s new interim prime minister has pledged to protect minority rights and bring security to the country in an interview with Al Jazeera, amid reports that the tomb of Hafez al-Assad, the father of removed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,