Syrians filled the streets on Monday 8 December 2025 to celebrate the first anniversary of the lightning rebel offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad exactly one year ago.
In Damascus, huge crowds packed Umayyad Square for official events and military parades. New President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former rebel commander who led the final assault on the capital, attended dawn prayers at the historic Umayyad Mosque.
Dressed in military fatigues, Sharaa promised to rebuild the nation “from north to south and from east to west”, declaring: “God willing, we will rebuild a strong Syria with a structure befitting its present and past.”
Interior Minister Anas Khattab described the moment as a “historic turning point”, saying Syrians are writing a new chapter with hope and determination after decades of repression and 14 years of devastating civil war.
Military displays and hope amid challenges
Parades in several provinces showcased weapons used in the battles that ended the Assad regime. In Aleppo and other cities, residents expressed cautious optimism, while university students spoke of victory but also of lost years, destroyed homes and the urgent need for jobs and reconstruction.
Many refugees remain hesitant to return, citing lack of housing, infrastructure and economic opportunity. In Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees have gone back since last December, but the pace has slowed due to funding shortages and the scale of destruction at home.
Female basketball referee Samra Kamel highlighted how young people now enjoy “newfound freedom” in sport and daily life, no longer fearing arrest for simple choices like team names.
EU reaffirms support
European Council President António Costa reiterated the bloc’s backing for a peaceful, Syrian-led transition focused on justice, reconciliation and rights for all citizens.
A year ago today, rebel forces seized Damascus in an 11-day offensive that stunned the world, ending 53 years of Assad family rule. Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, where he remains in exile.
Source: Al Jazeera
Featured photos: SkyNews/Al Jazeera
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