One year after the fall of al-Assad, a reporter returns to Damascus

In December 2025, an Al Jazeera reporter returned to Damascus, Syria, one year after Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow. The reporter observed significant changes since his previous visit immediately following Assad's departure. Abandoned military vehicles and defaced portraits of the Assad regime were gone. In their place, new security forces vehicles and the new national emblem were visible. People gathered in Umayyad Square to celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the regime's fall. The atmosphere was markedly different, with Syrians expressing relief and a newfound sense of freedom after decades of oppression. The reporter noted that people were eager to express their suppressed thoughts and celebrate without fear.

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