Leaders in countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are worried Assad’s ouster, and the rise of an Islamist government, could stir unrest at home.

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,

CNN mapped how rebel groups captured several key cities, cutting off pro-regime forces and successfully toppling Assad’s regime after 11 days of fighting.