Syria’s Day of Liberation: The Moment Bashar al-Assad’s Dynasty Crumbled
For Syrians, November 5, 2024, marked a historic turning point as the Assad dynasty’s grip on power was shattered. After five decades of authoritarian rule and a brutal civil war, Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow, leaving behind a nation in turmoil yet brimming with hope. Crowds filled the streets of Damascus, pulling down statues of Assad and his father, Hafez, as celebratory gunfire and the sound of car horns echoed across the capital. The Syrian revolutionary flag flew high, symbolizing a newfound freedom that many thought unattainable just days earlier. Families torn apart by the regime’s notorious prisons shared emotional reunions, crying tears of disbelief at their sudden liberation.
The rapid rebel advance, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed militias, had caught Assad’s forces off-guard. Soldiers abandoned their posts, discarding uniforms on the road between Beirut and Damascus as they realized their leader had fled. Meanwhile, scenes of ordinary Syrians ransacking the luxurious presidential palace revealed stark contrasts between the ruling elite’s opulence and a populace where 90% lived below the poverty line. Damascus, once the symbol of Assad’s unyielding control, was now in rebel hands, its streets filled with both chaos and euphoria.
The Assad regime’s collapse came after 13 years of war, which began with the brutal crackdown on peaceful Arab Spring protests in 2011. The conflict escalated into a deadly proxy war, drawing in foreign powers like Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the US, each with competing agendas. Despite saving Assad from certain defeat in 2015, his allies were preoccupied with other conflicts, leaving him vulnerable to the recent offensive. By the time rebels reached Damascus, the regime’s defenses had crumbled. The fall of Assad’s government left a vacuum that, while celebratory for many, also brought uncertainty about Syria’s future.
As HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani declared victory from the historic Umayyad Mosque, Syrians dared to dream of a better tomorrow. For Fatimeh, a resident of Idlib returning to Damascus, it felt surreal to express her origins openly after years of hiding them. Yet the joy of liberation was tempered with caution. HTS and other rebel groups, while hailed as liberators, have a history of human rights abuses in the territories they control. For now, though, Syrians chose celebration over skepticism, reveling in the end of a brutal regime.
The international community reacted swiftly to Assad’s fall. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the event as a chance for Syria to rebuild and urged calm during this sensitive transition. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden called it a “moment of justice” but also warned of potential risks. The transitional government, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali, faces the monumental task of rebuilding a nation scarred by war. Displaced Syrians, both within the country and abroad, now look to return home, a prospect that seemed unimaginable under Assad’s rule.
Despite uncertainties, the atmosphere in Syria was electric with possibilities. Mohammed Ahmad, a resident of northern Syria, captured the mixed emotions felt by many. “I am angry, I am happy, and I am sad,” he said, reflecting the complex legacy of Syria’s struggle. For now, the collapse of the Assad dynasty has offered a rare opportunity for unity and renewal in a nation long divided by conflict and oppression.
