Assad escapes to Moscow as Syrian rebels take control of Damascus.

 Celebration fills the streets of Damascus following the fall of Assad.

Syrians flooded the streets of Damascus to celebrate the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia on Sunday following a rapid advance by rebel forces, marking the end of over five decades of oppressive dynastic rule.

Opposition fighters paraded on tanks and fired celebratory shots into the air, while residents cheered and flashed peace signs to commemorate this surprising and momentous political shift in a country that has endured a devastating civil war since 2011.

Syrian opposition fighters rejoice following the government's collapse in Damascus on December 8. Photo AP.

               Syrians rejoice at the arrival of opposition fighters in Damascus on December 8.

              Opposition fighters celebrate the take over of the city by the insurgents in Damascus on December 8.

“Syria is free and liberated once more. Now it’s our time to rebuild and create a new country,” he told the AFP news agency.

Similar scenes unfolded in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, close to the Syrian border.

"The people are incredibly happy," Syrian Medjit Zein said to AFP in Gaziantep. "It's not just here; those living abroad or in Syria feel the same way. We’ve been saved from the tyrannical Assad, and we are very happy. May God bring down all dictators like Assad."

Turkey, which shares a lengthy border with Syria, hosts approximately 3.1 million Syrian refugees.

Around the globe, Syrians are celebrating the downfall of the Assad regime.

From Sydney to Stockholm, Syrian communities worldwide are celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, which has endured more than 50 years of brutal dictatorship by his family.

In Germany, where the largest population of Syrian refugees outside the Middle East resides, hundreds took to the streets of Berlin on Sunday, many holding signs with Assad's face crossed out in red.

“We lost hope several years ago. But now hope is returning,” Muhamad Hamzalimam told the AFP news agency. “We’re ready for whatever lies ahead. We are just happy. It couldn’t be better.”

In the Swedish capital, hundreds of Syrians gathered in a major public square, waving flags in the green, red, black, and white colors of the Syrian opposition, while celebrations also took place in Dublin and London.

Mohammad Hajji Mahmoud, a 19-year-old student in London, described the news of Assad's downfall as “unbelievable.”