The nearly quarter-century rule of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad came to a stunning end, when he fled the country by plane for an unknown destination as rebel troops stormed into the capital city of Damascus with little resistance. Thousands of people rushed to the city’s main square waving and chanting “freedom” as rebel breached the city gates on Sunday, local time, and Assad’s army fled from the streets, witnesses said. Assad, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for 24 years, boarded a plane and left Damascus for parts unknown, two senior army officers told Reuters. Shortly after...