Syrians celebrate in Lebanon’s Tripoli city

Hundreds of Syrians and Lebanese gathered in the streets of Tripoli to celebrate the fall of president Bashar al-Assad, journalist Madeline Edwards reports from the northern Lebanese city.

People handed out sweets and lit fireworks while others cheered, waved Syrian revolution flags and the Lebanese flags as they danced to national songs blaring from speakers in the city’s main Nour Square.

Several people interviewed by Middle East Eye said they would stay in Lebanon until the situation in Syria becomes clearer before going back. 

Others were already preparing for their long-awaited return home.

“I’m returning to Syria the day after tomorrow,” 22-year-old Ousama, who has been living in Lebanon since the start of the war in Syria, told Middle East Eye.

“We want the regime to remain crushed under our boots.”

Ayham Tawakalna, a 27-year-old from Damascus, said he will give the security situation some time to stabilise before crossing to Syria.

“I will return soon, in the next few days,” he said.

Abeer Khayat, a 33-year-old Syrian woman, said she and her family are waiting for the situation to calm down in Syria before planning to return.

“We anticipate potential chaos in the country. Syria is home to many factions, religions, and sects, and while we are one people, the regime has sown sectarian strife among us,” said Khayat, who fled her native Qalaat al-Hosn, in the western countryside of Homs, to Lebanon in 2012.

“I’m so happy, we still haven’t slept yet from joy.”