In the flash point central city of Homs, a hotbed of dissent against the regime, protesters shouted that Assad will follow Gadhafi, whose whereabouts was unknown as rebels claimed to be in control of Libya's capital.
"Gadhafi is gone, now it's your turn Bashar!" they shouted, witnesses said.
With Turkey making noises about intervening militarily, the fall of Khaddafi couldn't have come at a worse time for Assad.