Reena Hamad, Staff Writer
Photo//FreeMalaysiaToday
On Sunday morning, December 8, 2024, opposition forces declared Syria free from the rule of Bashar al-Assad as they advanced into the capital, prompting Assad to flee Damascus.
Bashar al-Assad, who had inherited power in 2000 from his father Hafez al-Assad after a staged election, governed the country with ruthless control. His regime was notorious for brutal crackdowns, the use of chemical weapons against civilians, and the imprisonment and torture of tens of thousands of civilians.
After more than 53 years of the Assad family rule, Syria along with the rest of the world was blessed to witness the collapse of this horrendous, oppressive regime. Just a week prior, the government still maintained control over much of the country, but its grip unraveled rapidly, leaving many to wonder how this momentous shift was finally achieved.
The breakthrough began on November 27, when a coalition of opposition fighters launched a major offensive against pro-Assad forces. Within three days, they managed to capture Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city. Their momentum continued as they seized key cities, including Hama and Homs, which was once named the “Capital of the Revolution.” By Saturday, Deraa, the cradle of the 2011 uprising, also fell out of government control.
According to Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Assad departed Syria via Damascus International Airport while it was still under government control, and shortly after his exit, soldiers abandoned the airport, and opposition forces seized it.
As news of the regime’s fall spread, people across the country broke out in celebration. Statues of Hafez al-Assad were toppled, and public squares and mosques filled with people praying, chanting anti-Assad slogans, and honking car horns.
With the regime’s collapse, opposition forces opened the gates of detention centers where tens of thousands have been imprisoned, tortured, and killed under Assad’s rule. Among the most infamous facilities was Sednaya Prison near Damascus, where human rights organizations documented horrific abuses.
As prisoners were freed, Syrians rushed to these facilities, desperate to find missing relatives that they either took to be dead or had not seen in over a decade. Countless videos have circulated the internet showing tearful reunions, with families and prisoners thanking God and chanting “God is the Greatest” after making it to this incredible victory.
Cities in Syria were not the only ones to erupt in celebration; jubilant rallies broke out across the United States, particularly in Chicago, home to one of the largest Arab populations in the country. Hundreds of Syrian-Americans and others gathered at Chicago’s Congress Plaza, united in celebration of a victory once thought unimaginable.
The fall of the Assad regime marked the end of more than just 13 years of revolution and war. It symbolized the conclusion of decades of oppression, brutality, and destruction that began long before the Arab Spring.
This moment of liberation signifies the breaking of a cycle of brutality and fear that has defined generations, offering a new chapter of hope and possibility. While the scars of this long and tragic history will take time to heal, the resilience and unity shown in the face of tyranny stand as a testament to the unyielding faith of the Syrian people.
Today, Syria looks to the future–a future shaped not by fear, but by the promise of freedom and the hope for lasting peace.
Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this tragic chapter in Syria’s history. The depth of pain endured by Syria and its diaspora defies the limits of language, making it nearly impossible to fully capture its magnitude in words.