Syrians living in Türkiye have taken to the streets in celebration as 61 years of Baath Party rule in Syria collapsed with the capital, Damascus, liberated from the Bashar al Assad regime.

In Istanbul, hundreds of Syrians, young and old, gathered in the courtyard of Fatih Mosque on Sunday, united by a mixture of joy and relief.

The crowd waved Turkish flags alongside the Syrian flags, chanting freedom slogans and cheering the long-awaited liberation.

Nur Ahmed, a Syrian student in Istanbul, was among those crying tears of joy. Overwhelmed with happiness, she said she was looking forward to returning to her homeland.

The moment carried the weight of years spent living as a refugee. A Syrian man who fled the war 12 years ago and built a life in Istanbul echoed Ahmed's happiness. Expressing fulfilment, he said he was ready to return and rebuild his country.

Another demonstrator reflected on the struggle of the past decade, saying they had been waiting for this day for a long time. "We will not forget everything Türkiye has done for us," he said.

Türkiye shares a 900-kilometre (560-mile) border with Syria and is hosting nearly three million Syrian refugees.

Elsewhere in Istanbul, a group of Syrians gathered in front of the Syrian Consulate General in Sisli. The removal of the Assad regime’s flag from the building symbolised, for many, the dawn of a new era.

Celebratory crowds also gathered in several southeastern cities bordering Syria.