Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's luxury car collection revealed
The recent ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has resulted in the unearthing of a massive collection of his luxury cars. The Islamist rebel forces, who stormed Assad's palace, discovered a sprawling garage of high-end vehicles from top automakers including Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, and Ferrari. In addition to luxury cars, the rebels discovered motorcycles, ATVs, and an armored truck inside the palace. Videos shared on X show rebels taking selfies and firing guns into the air.
Take a look at Assad's car collection
How social media has reacted
Social media users have been posting videos of the rebel forces going through the abandoned garage, which is said to belong to Assad. One user emphasized stark difference between Syria's poverty and Assad's riches, saying, "90% of Syrians are under the poverty line. Meanwhile, this is a small section of Assad's garage." Another user said, "one thing remains crystal clear - the power of selfishness and corruption is downright evil." "Greed has no pocket," one user wrote about the situation.
Downfall and Syria's poverty crisis
Assad's downfall came less than two weeks after the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a swift rebel offensive. The move challenged over five decades of Assad family rule and broke long-standing frontlines in Syria's civil war. The UN humanitarian chief had warned in 2023 that the ongoing 12-year conflict in Syria has pushed 90% of its population into poverty, a stark contrast to Assad's lavish lifestyle as seen in his luxury car collection.
US Secretary of State comments on Syria's future
After Assad's ousting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was hopeful about Syria's future. He said "after 14 years of conflict, the Syrian people finally have reason for hope." This was after HTS claimed to have taken Damascus and said Assad had fled, triggering nationwide celebrations and looting of his luxurious residence.
