Damascus, Syria – Tens of thousands of Syrians flooded the streets of Damascus and other major cities on Monday, waving revolutionary flags and setting off fireworks to mark the first anniversary of the dramatic ouster of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose 24-year rule collapsed in a lightning rebel offensive that reshaped the Middle East. The celebrations, filled with military parades, communal prayers and spontaneous dancing, offered a stark contrast to the fear and repression that defined life under the Assad regime and the 14-year civil war that claimed over half a million lives and displaced more than half the population.
At the centre of the national commemoration stood Syria’s new President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the former jihadist commander who led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-backed coalition to victory exactly one year ago. Appearing in military uniform, al-Sharaa delivered an emotional address immediately after performing the dawn prayer at the historic Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the oldest and most revered mosques in the Islamic world.
“No one, no matter how great, will stand in our way. No obstacle will stop us, and together we will face every challenge, God willing,” he told the assembled crowd and millions watching on television. He pledged to usher in “a new phase of reconstruction worthy of Syria’s present and its past – a rebuilding worthy of Syria’s ancient heritage.” He promised special attention to the most vulnerable citizens, the pursuit of justice, and the preservation of Syria’s rich multicultural identity.
In a deeply symbolic gesture that underscored warming ties with the Gulf, al-Sharaa placed inside the Umayyad Mosque a piece of the black cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca – a sacred relic personally gifted to him earlier this year by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during al-Sharaa’s first official visit to Riyadh. The act highlighted both the president’s own Saudi birthplace and childhood and the rapid diplomatic rehabilitation of Syria under its new leadership.
Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled Syria with an iron fist since succeeding his father Hafez in 2000, fled to Moscow on 8 December 2024 as rebel forces entered Damascus, bringing an abrupt end to more than six decades of Baath Party domination that began with the 1963 coup. What started as peaceful Arab Spring protests in 2011 had spiralled into a devastating multi-sided war involving Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, Turkey, the United States and Gulf states. By late 2024, with Iranian and Hezbollah supply lines severed by Israeli strikes and Russian support wavering, Assad’s defences crumbled in just eleven days.
Al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, dissolved the various rebel factions into state institutions and was appointed transitional president in January 2025. A new constitutional declaration replaced the Baathist-era charter, and a national dialogue process was launched to draft an inclusive political roadmap.
Across the country, the anniversary was marked with joy and reflection. In Damascus’s Umayyad Square, newly reformed army units staged a parade while crowds waved the pre-2011 independence flag with its three red stars. Aleppo lit up with fireworks for the first time in years. Hama, Homs and Idlib saw mass gatherings recalling the astonishing speed of last year’s offensive. Many Syrians spoke of bittersweet emotions: relief at the end of bombings and secret police, but grief for the immense human cost and anxiety about the future.
Challenges remain formidable. Sporadic sectarian clashes have claimed hundreds of lives since December 2024, particularly in coastal Alawite areas and Druze regions of Sweida. Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast continue to administer their areas under a March 2025 integration agreement that is still being implemented. Landmines and unexploded ordnance have killed hundreds of civilians, including many children, making Syria the deadliest country for such hazards in 2025. Vast swathes of Aleppo, Homs, Darayya and rural Damascus remain in ruins, and reconstruction costs are estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
On the economic front, the collapse of the Captagon narcotics empire that once sustained the Assad regime has left a gaping hole in state finances, while hyperinflation, unemployment and power shortages persist. More than three million refugees and internally displaced persons have returned home, yet housing, schools and hospitals are overwhelmed.
Diplomatically, however, the new Syria has made striking progress. Al-Sharaa has visited Riyadh, Ankara, Doha and Abu Dhabi, securing pledges of investment and reconstruction aid. Western sanctions have been progressively eased, the United Kingdom and several European countries have reopened embassies, and Syria has resumed its seat at the Arab League. Talks with Russia continue over the future of its remaining military bases, while Damascus has demanded the extradition of Bashar al-Assad – so far rejected by Moscow.
Domestically, a National Commission for Transitional Justice and a commission for missing persons have been established. Tens of thousands of political prisoners have been released, and arrest warrants issued for senior figures of the former regime. In October 2025, elections produced a 210-seat transitional parliament, although one-third of seats remain subject to presidential appointment.
As night fell over Damascus, President al-Sharaa reiterated his core message: “The current phase requires the unification of efforts by all citizens – men and women, from every sect and ethnicity – to build a strong Syria that is strong, stable, sovereign, and worthy of the immense sacrifices its people have made.”
For millions of Syrians, the first anniversary of liberation is both a celebration of hard-won freedom and a sober reminder that the journey from revolution to stable, inclusive statehood has only just begun.
