Damascus, Syria – Thousands of Syrians have headed on the streets and public places on Saturday to mark 14 years since the country’s civil war, the first without Bashar Assad in power.
The crowd agitated Syrian flags and sang to celebrate the rebellious victory which ended the rule of five decades of the Assad family in the rallies in the capital, Damascus, the largest city in Aleppo from the country to the north, and Idlib, where the rebels launched their offensive in November.
“15/3/2025 same date but we are now victorious,” read a poster carried by a man in the Place Umayyad de Damascus, while combat helicopters fell flowers on the rally.
Until recently, helicopters were used by forces faithful to Assad to fall bombs in barrels on the areas held by his opponents. By releasing flowers, the country’s new authorities wish to send a message. “Today, the helicopters offer you hope instead of pain, peace instead of fear,” read an article in Arabic linked to a flower that has been deposited on Omeyyad square.
Yaman al-Ali said he had come to celebrate the victory of the “revolution” that she has supported since 2011. “My feeling, of course, is incredibly, incredibly, incredibly brilliant. First of all, because we overthrew Bashar Assad. Of course, we demand its execution, not just its reversal. »»
“Today, by the grace of God, we came to express our joy in victory,” said Lamyaa al-Doueish. “It was the first year, after 14 years, that God blessed us with victory.”
The conflict of Syria began as one of the popular uprisings against the Arab dictators known as the 2011 Arab Spring, before Assad crushed the largely peaceful demonstrations and a civil war broke out. Half a million people were killed and more than 5 million left the country as refugees.
In November, groups of insurgents led by the Islamic Islamist Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, or HTS, began an offensive on the ground which captured in a few days the four largest cities of the country starting with Aleppo To the north, then Hama and Homs in the center of Syria. On December 8, the insurgents walked to Damascus, marking the end of the 54 -year -old rule of the Assad family who was considered one of the most brutal in the region. Assad fled to Russia, his main ally.
The new authorities of the country led by acting president Ahmad al-Sharaa have faced serious obstacles. Only a few days before Saturday’s birthday, clashes between fighters loyal to Assad and the forces of the new leaders of the country triggered The worst violence Since the civil war, killing about 1,000 people, most members of the Allawites of Assad minorities.
Earlier this week, the interim government signed an agreement With the authority led by the Kurds which controls the northeast of the country, and a few days later, Al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution This leaves Syria under the Islamist regime while promising to protect the rights of all Syrians for five years during a transition phase.
After the fall of Assad, the vast majority of Syrians still live in poverty and Syrian officials and regional countries have called on Western countries to raise imposed sanctions More than a decade ago.
The United States and Europe hesitated to lift the sanctions before it was a clear political transition which is democratic and inclusive of the minorities and the civil society of Syria. At the same time, Syria desperately needs money to rebuild after years of war. ___
Mourouou has reported to Beirut.
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