In photos: ‘No obstacle will stop us’ — Syrians mark one year since Assad’s fall
Official celebrations are planned for the central Umayyad Square in Damascus, which has been packed with jubilant gatherings ahead of December 8, and in other parts of the country.
As celebrations kicked off marking the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, Syrians are still struggling to heal after the dynasty’s repressive 50-year rule and a 14-year civil war that killed an estimated half-million people, displaced millions more and left the country battered and divided.
On the anniversary on Monday, Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa vowed that his country is entering a new phase of reconstruction “worthy of its present and its past.”
“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 added.
Here are some photos showing Syrians celebrating the day.
Assad fled to Russia soon after Sharaa's forces entered Damascus. Syrians have been calling for his repatriation so he can face justice.
The joy is a reminder of the pain inflicted on the Syrian people by the Assad regime, which used everything from barrel bombs to chemical weapons against opposition-held areas.
Syrians are marking the first anniversary of the fall of the 61-year Baath regime with celebrations and renewed optimism that their country is transforming into a free, secure nation.
Residents of the capital Damascus say the hardships they faced under the ousted Bashar al Assad regime have ended, expressing confidence that the new administration will lead Syria toward a better future, particularly in freedom, the economy and security.
The new government, established after the collapse of the Assad regime, has taken steps to provide basic services, including electricity and civil servants’ salaries, while implementing decisions that directly affect citizens’ daily lives.
A presidential decree in June raised civil servant salaries from 250,000 Syrian pounds (about $15 at the time) to 750,000 Syrian pounds (about $65).
Meanwhile, repair and maintenance work began on the country’s power grid, which had suffered severe damage during 14 years of bombardment.
The exhibition, which showcases military equipment and vehicles used during the revolution, was opened at the Damascus fairgrounds, marking a pivotal moment in Syria’s modern history.
“This military exhibition symbolises the birth of a new army that rose from the revolution. From makeshift workshops during the siege to the advanced operations centers, the army has developed despite all constraints, and we look forward to continuing the strategic plan to build an army that every Syrian can be proud of, an army that will protect their dignity and safeguard their children,” Syrian Defence Minister, General Murhaf Abu Qasra said in the inauguration ceremony according to SANA.
The end of Assad’s bloody rule
On December 8, 2024, the bloody rule of the Baath Party, which came into power in 1963, collapsed when Damascus was seized.
As opposition forces closed in on the capital, Assad fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum.
On January 29, Syria’s military operations administration appointed Ahmad al Sharaa as transitional president, repealed the 2012 Constitution, and dissolved the regime’s Parliament, army and security agencies.
Opposition forces declared on 8 December 2024 that they had taken the Syrian capital, sending President Bashar al Assad fleeing and ending five decades of brutal rule in Syria.
‘Human slaughterhouse’ uncovered
The fall of the brutal dictator has led to the unveiling of many dark sites where human beings were slaughtered, tortured, raped and maimed for the past 40 years.
One of them is the notorious Sednaya prison.
On December 8, 2024, crowds gathered to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse."
Some were hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the fall of Assad's regime.
During the rule of the collapsed Baath regime in Syria, thousands were subjected to torture in dozens of centres beyond Sednaya prison.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), regime forces detained at least 1.2 million Syrians during the civil war and subjected them to various torture methods.