One year after Assad’s toppling: Syria celebrates liberation

• Syrians across the country celebrate the first anniversary of ‘Liberation Day,’ marking Assad’s ousting and the start of a new era.

Syrians across the country are today marking the first anniversary of "Liberation Day," celebrating the dramatic overthrow of the Assad regime and the end of 54 years of dynastic rule.

The central event of the day is a potent reminder of the revolution that finally culminated in the capture of Damascus on December 8, 2024, an event that shocked the world with its speed and finality.

The decades-long, iron-fisted rule of the Assad family, first Hafez and then his son, Bashar al-Assad, was notorious for its severe repression, political stagnation, and the brutal crackdown on the 2011 uprising that spiralled into a devastating civil war.

For over a decade, the regime maintained its grip on power, supported by key international allies like Russia and Iran, despite the conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

The Revolution’s Final, Swift Push

The long and bloody revolution, which began in 2011 with peaceful pro-democracy protests, entered its final phase in late November 2024.

This decisive turning point came with a major offensive, spearheaded by forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), under the command of its then-leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The offensive, initially aimed at Aleppo, quickly gained unforeseen momentum. The regime's military, demoralized and lacking the full support of its previously steadfast allies who were distracted by other conflicts, began to collapse with astonishing speed.

• The Campaign: Starting from late November 2024, the campaign saw rapid advances through key northern and central cities.
• The Collapse: The swift fall of major cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs in a matter of days exposed the deep fragility of the Assad government's control.
• Eight-Day Swiftness: In a whirlwind offensive, the final march on Damascus was achieved. The rebel coalition forces, coordinating a push from the north led by HTS and a simultaneous push from the south, entered the capital on December 8, 2024. Bashar al-Assad fled the country to Russia, and his regime instantly collapsed. The speed of the takeover, from the start of the final offensive to the fall of Damascus, was a campaign of just over a week, a stunning culmination after 13 years of war.

A New Era Begins

With the end of the Assad era, Ahmad al-Sharaa emerged as the de facto leader of the country, heading a post-revolutionary caretaker government. Celebrations erupted across the country as Syrians took to the streets, tearing down symbols of the dictatorship and raising the flags of the revolution.

The new transitional government, now led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, faces immense challenges, including national reconciliation, economic recovery, the return of millions of refugees, and the daunting task of forming a truly unified and stable state after years of division and war.

Despite ongoing security and political complexities, today’s celebrations reflect a nation's profound relief and hope that the day of liberation, December 8, marks a definitive break from a brutal past.