Bashar-al Assad’s presidential palace has been raided by angry Syrians who discovered a garage filled with luxury sportscars. The news comes as Russian state media claimed the deposed president had fled to Moscow.
Images shared online show the huge collection, which includes Ferraris, Aston Martins, Rolls-Royces, BMWs, Mercedes and what appears to be a Bugatti Veyron.
SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs, and what appears to be an armoured truck were also pictures inside the garage.
Syrians were seen trawling through the rooms at the huge property in the capital Damascus, which was swiftly seized by rebel groups on Saturday.
Fighters found a marble-floored building covering 510,000 square metres.
Expensive paintings were displayed on the wall and a jacuzzi was found in one of the bathrooms.
Abu Omar, 44, was one of the men raiding the palace.
He said: “I came for revenge; they oppressed us in incredible ways. I am taking pictures because I am so happy to be here in the middle of his house.
“I no longer feel afraid. My only concern is that we unite [as Syrians] and build this country together.”
Assad has fled Syria after the rebel groups made their advance towards Damascus.
The dictator has been in power since 2000, taking over from his father Hafez-al-Assad.
When the Arab Spring protests started in 2011, Assad used brutality and violence to thwart rebel groups and anti-government demonstrations.
This led to a five-year civil war, from which Assad emerged unscathed thanks to support from Russia and Hezbollah.
However, the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) started an offensive in late November, and has swept through key cities such as Aleppo and Homs in recent days before finally taking Damascus on Saturday.
Assad’s whereabouts are not known, although reports indicate that his flight is likely taking him to the United Arab Emirates.
The coalition of Syrian rebels said in a statement: “The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people.”
Syria’s prime minister, Mohammed Ghazi al Jalali, has remained in the country.
He added: “I am here in my home. I have not left it and do not intend to leave, except in a peaceful manner that ensures the continued functioning of public institutions and state facilities, promoting security and reassurance for our fellow citizens.”