Syrians commemorate anniversary of uprising for first time since Assad's fall
Syrians commemorated the 14th anniversary of their revolution on Saturday for the first time since the fall of Assad's government.
Peaceful protests on 15 March 2011 against Bashar al-Assad’s brutal rule marked the start of a mass uprising, which spiralled into a protracted civil war after the government's attempt to violently suppress the protests.
This year, commemorations are taking a celebratory tone for the first time following Assad's overthrow on 8 December.
A demonstration was held in Damascus' Umayyad Square, with others organised in Homs, Idlib and Hama.
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On Saturday morning, video footage showed military helicopters dropping flowers and confetti over Umayyad Square as Syrians cheered below.
Demonstrators were also seen posing for photos with security personnel and waving the new Syrian flag, while revolutionary songs played over loudspeakers.
Hundreds gathered in the main square of the former rebel stronghold of Idlib, raising the new Syrian flag.
Surge in violence
The anniversary of the revolution comes after a surge in sectarian violence in coastal Syria resulted in at least 800 extrajudicial killings.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), these killings were carried out by all sides involved in the clashes, including forces loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, government forces, groups loosely affiliated with the Syrian government and individual gunmen.
Earlier this week, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the deadly violence that targeted the Alawite minority, to which Assad and his loyalists belong.
Sharaa blamed a former military unit loyal to Assad’s brother, Maher, and an unspecified foreign power for the outbreak.
He did, however, acknowledge that multiple groups had entered Syria’s coastal areas amid the clashes with Assad loyalists, leading to violations.
The Syrian government also faces a challenge from Israel, which carried out an air strike on the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday.
Israel’s military said it was targeting what it described as a command centre belonging to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which it said was used to direct “terrorist activities” against Israel.
Middle East Eye could not independently verify the claim. The strike took place in a residential area at the edge of Damascus, Syrian state media reported.
This followed a series of air strikes carried out last month on what it said were military bases in Syria, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech calling for a “complete demilitarisation” of the country’s south.
The United Nations’ special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on Friday: "It is 14 years since Syrians took to the streets in peaceful protest, demanding dignity, freedom and a better future."
He added that "the resilience of Syrians and their pursuit of justice, dignity and peace endure. And they now deserve a transition that is worthy of this".
Pedersen called for "an immediate end to all violence and for protection of civilians".
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