Syria celebrates anniversary of Assad’s fall and new era under Ahmed al-Sharaa | World News

Syrians marked the first anniversary of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and his iron-fed rule on Monday, as the fractured nation struggles to find stability and recover after years of war. Assad fled to Russia on 8 December last year after rebel forces led Ahmed al-Sharaa entered Damascus, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule and over 13 years of conflict that began with the 2011 uprising.

Celebrations across Damascus and Aleppo

Crowds gathered in Umayyad Square in central Damascus, where officials planned a military parade and other events. People waved Syria’s new flag, chanted slogans and carried children on their shoulders.

In Aleppo, the first major city to fall to rebel forces last year drivers formed convoys and sounded their horns.

A girl holds a Syrian flag during weekend-long celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar Assad regime in Damascus, Syria, early Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Photo: AP)

“We started loving the country. We didn’t love the country before; we used to try to escape from it,” said Mohammed Karam Hammami, an Aleppo resident.Story continues below this ad

Sharaa leads anniversary events and outlines vision

President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former rebel commander who now heads the transitional adminration, began the day with dawn prayers at Damascus’s Umayyad Mosque, state agency SANA reported. He wore military fatigues similar to those used during the rebel offensive.

Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, greets people as he attends celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo)

“From north to south and from east to west, God willing, we will rebuild a strong Syria with a structure befitting its present and past,” he said.

Sharaa has sought to reshape Syria’s foreign ties. According to Reuters, he has opened channels with the United States, gained support from Gulf states and Turkey, and danced his adminration from Iran and Russia, Assad’s long-time backers. Western sanctions have eased in recent months.

How divided country navigates political and social fractures

Despite the anniversary events, Syria remains deeply fragmented. Hundreds of people have been killed over the past year in sectarian violence, leading to renewed displacement and mrust among minority groups.Story continues below this ad

The Kurdish-led adminration in the northeast banned public gatherings on security grounds, saying “terror cells” could use the anniversary to launch attacks. It congratulated Syrians but reiterated its aim to protect regional autonomy.

A woman waves the Syrian flag as members of the new Syrian army stand in formation during celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo)

In the south, Druze groups in Sweida have renewed calls for independence following deadly clashes with government forces this year.

UN deputy special envoy Najat Rochdi said Assad’s fall offered “the first real chance in generations” to shape a different future, though significant challenges remain.

Returns continue, but humanitarian needs stay high

The UN refugee agency said about 1.2 million refugees and 1.9 million internally displaced people have returned home since Assad’s fall, but warned that declining international funding could limit future returns.Story continues below this ad

Girls flash victory signs as they gather for celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo)

Syria’s central bank governor told the Reuters NEXT conference last week that the return of around 1.5 million refugees had brought some relief to the economy.

Even so, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 16.5 million people in Syria will need aid in 2025.

4-year transition ahead

Sharaa said at a forum in Qatar that Syria was “living its best times”, despite ongoing violence, and pledged accountability for abuses.

New Syrian army soldiers parade with rocket launchers to mark the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

He said the transition would continue for four more years to establish new institutions, draft laws and prepare a constitution to be put to a referendum before elections.Story continues below this ad

A temporary constitution approved in March grants him broad powers. An indirect parliamentary vote took place in October, but Sharaa has yet to appoint the remaining one-third of the 210 seats.