First civilian plane departs Damascus following Assad's downfall

Syrian sources reported on Wednesday that the first civilian flight departed from Damascus International Airport to Aleppo Airport following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime on December 8.

Earlier, the Syrian Ministry of Transport in the caretaker government announced that authorities are preparing civil airports for incoming and outgoing flights, with ongoing efforts to equip both Aleppo and Damascus airports.

In related news, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees stated that approximately one million Syrian refugees are expected to return to their homeland during the first six months of 2025.

The agency noted that many refugees have already begun returning "spontaneously" from Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.