Syrians celebrate victory as Bashar Assad is ousted from power
- Thousands of Syrians took to the streets on March 15, 2025, to celebrate the ouster of Bashar Assad and mark the anniversary of the civil war.
- The celebration included waving flags, chanting, and receiving flowers from helicopter gunships, a stark contrast to the previous years of violence.
- The day highlighted the joy of victory but also the challenges that remain for the new authorities in rebuilding the nation and addressing poverty.
On March 15, 2025, Syrians gathered in large crowds across major cities, including Damascus, Aleppo, and Idlib, to commemorate the 14th anniversary of their civil war, marking the first such observance since the removal of Bashar Assad from power. The atmosphere was charged with joy as protesters waved Syrian flags and expressed their delight with chants and placards celebrating their victory over Assad, who had dominated the country for over five decades. A significant moment occurred at Damascus’s Umayyad Square, where helicopter gunships, previously used to spread terror, now dropped flowers over the celebrants as a gesture of peace and new beginnings. Many participants, like Yaman al-Ali, conveyed their feelings of exuberance and hope for the future, with sentiments shared that revolved around not only the overthrow of Assad but also a desire for more drastic measures, like his execution. The uprising against Assad initially started as a part of the broader 2011 Arab Spring movement, aiming for democratic reforms. However, it soon spiraled into a brutal civil war resulting in an estimated half a million fatalities and over five million Syrian refugees. The transitional phase in Syria seems daunting, with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa's government grappling with pressing socioeconomic challenges following years of war. Despite the celebrations, the majority of Syrians remain in poverty, and regional officials are pressing Western nations to lift longstanding sanctions. The United States and Europe are cautious and insist on a political transition that includes all sections of Syrian society before they consider easing sanctions. The day was also marked by a separate tragic incident in Latakia, where an explosion resulted in casualties, highlighting the ongoing instability in the country. Amid the euphoria, new authorities are tasked with the monumental challenge of rebuilding a war-torn nation and navigating a political landscape that seeks to balance various ideological forces amid demands for a just society.