Syrians Commemorate First Anniversary of Overthrow of Former President Bashar al-Assad's Regime
Syrians are commemorating, this Monday, the first anniversary of the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime, as the country, torn apart by divisions, struggles to achieve stability and recovery after years of war.
Official Celebrations
Official celebrations are planned on the Umayyad Square in the capital, Damascus, which has already filled with joyful crowds in anticipation of the festivities. Celebrations will also take place in other regions of Syria. President Ahmad Chaar performed the dawn prayer at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and deposited a piece of the Kaaba's cloth (the Kiswa) in the mosque's enclosure, a gift offered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).
Presidential Address
After the prayer, Al Chaar delivered a speech in which he expressed "the sense of pride felt by Syrians from the first moments of the end of a difficult stage in the country's history". He praised what he called "the sacrifices and heroic acts accomplished by the fighters when they entered victorious in Damascus", emphasizing that "preserving this victory and building on it is today the greatest duty that falls on all Syrians". Al Chaar stressed that the current phase requires the unification of efforts by all children of the nation, in order to build a strong Syria, consolidate stability, preserve its sovereignty, and achieve a future worthy of the sacrifices of its people, according to the Syrian Presidency via its Facebook page.
Nationwide Celebrations
The inhabitants of the city of Banias in Tartous celebrated the victory and liberation on Sunday evening. Members of the Syrian community in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, also celebrated on Monday the first anniversary of the liberation of Syria, according to the agency. Some regions of Syria have been experiencing festivities for several days, with thousands of people filling the streets on Friday, waving the new Syrian flag to commemorate the day when fighters led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Cham group took control of the city during their rapid advance towards Damascus.
