Tens of thousands of Syrians have taken to the streets across the country to celebrate their newfound freedoms, just five days after rebels toppled the 54-year long Bashar al-Assad regime. In the Umayyad mosque in Damascus, thousands gathered for the first Friday prayers since Assad’s departure, with rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani urging Syrians to celebrate their freedom.
The green of the Syrian opposition flag was everywhere, and people sang revolutionary songs and chanted for revenge. Shop owners were painting over the old regime flag, and crowds cheered as members of the Syrian civil defense, known as the White Helmets, entered the mosque for the first time.
In a short speech, al-Jolani told Syrians that they should take to the streets to celebrate, and a sheikh at the mosque delivered a message of unity and human rights. The audience, including men, women, and children, piled in and spilled out into the courtyard, with many crying as he spoke.
The mood in the old city was celebratory, with people dancing, singing, and playing drums. Green, red, white, and black balloons decorated shopfronts, and people waved the opposition flag. A newly announced transitional government has set about building institutions, and civil servants were left in place, with fighters withdrawing from cities.
The international community has cautiously welcomed the prospect of a new government in Syria, with Turkey appointing an envoy to Damascus and European officials considering establishing contacts with the new leadership. While celebrations broke out across the country, many families continued the search for their loved ones, five days after regime prisons were broken open.