Syrians can hardly believe the events of this week

Millions of Syrians, either inside Syria or in the diasporaI feel pretty much the same.

I myself cannot believe that I think and write these words absolutely freely, without any form of self-censorship or censorship. For even in my refuge in Dublin I could not breathe freely, I could not say what I really felt or wanted to say.

Like millions of naturalized Syrian and Euro-Syrian immigrants, I had left behind loved ones whom the Assad regime could have easily arrested, killed, or worse. imprisoned in the torture chambers of the Saydnaya dungeons that terrorized the world recently.

And so I was guilty of mincing my words and not calling a spade a spade.

Syrians are eager to rebuild their homeland with unity, love and resilience. This beautiful video from Cross Scout shows volunteers cleaning the streets of Damascus yesterday – a true testament to a better future pic.twitter.com/5FusvNZOj4

– Razan Ibraheem (رزان) (@RazanIRL) December 12, 2024

And I am equally ecstatic, breathlessly euphoric, at the frenetic speed of events that sent dictator Bashar al-Assad into exile in Moscow and installed in his place Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of HTS – Arabic initials for Hay’at (authority) Tahrir (liberation), Sham (Greater Syria).

The change is so radical, so sudden, that I’m still in disbelief.

The news of the fall of the regime was a shock, an extraordinary surprise that spread throughout Syria and beyond. For countless Syrians, it was the best surprise of our lives – a moment we never dared to dream of, now a reality. A weight has been lifted and in its place a new Syria is being born.

For thousands of years, Syria has endured waves of invaders and tyrants. But even in this long history of suffering, no number compares to the unparalleled cruelty of Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar.

Brutal dynasty

The Assad regime has not only caused immeasurable harm, but has set a horrifying benchmark for oppression and brutality that is hard to fathom.

Statues of Assad, both father and son, dominate the streets of Syria’s towns and cities. Their names are engraved on every library, museum and theater. As a student in Syria, I remember how images of the Assad family permeated every corner of our lives – classrooms, books, notebooks, uniforms and even hats. The only sanctuary from their omnipresence was the underwear and the toilets.

When Hafez al-Assad came to power in 1971 in a military coup, Syria became a land of torment. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been tortured to death.

In 1982, under the orders of Hafez al-Assad, the Syrian army and paramilitary defense companies launched a brutal 27-day siege on the city of Hama to suppress a Muslim Brotherhood uprising against the regime.

Reports estimate that the crackdown resulted in the deaths of 10,000 to 40,000 civilians in the isolated and devastated city over the course of a single harrowing month. I first learned about the Hama massacre from my family.

Even though we were all in the same room, they whispered fearfully, too afraid to speak openly. “Shut up,” they warned, “the walls have ears.”

The true face of the Assad regime is obvious to anyone who dares to look. Reports such as Amnesty International’s “Human Slaughterhouse: Mass Hangings and Extermination at Saydnaya Prison” paint a grim picture of systematic brutality.

The prison, where more than 100,000 inmates were “disappeared” and slaughtered, symbolizes the regime’s inhumanity. The testimonies and videos of survivors reveal a grotesque reality: mass hangings, starvation and torture so ugly it defies understanding.

The regime’s cruelty extends far beyond the confines of its prisons. In 2011, he waged war against his own people simply because Syrians dared to demand freedom, justice and dignity. This war reverberated around the globe, and its consequences continue to shape our world today.

As a journalist and editor, I specialized in verifying social media content in conflict zones, primarily in my home country of Syria.

We authenticated raw video from eyewitnesses and citizen journalists documenting the horrific reality of war. We witnessed unfiltered images of children pulled from the rubble of Aleppo, rescuers recovering the remains of children in Idlib, grieving mothers in Homs and the horrors of starvation in Madaya or chemical attacks in Ghouta, near Damascus.

I made sure their stories were written for the whole world to see and their voices were heard in the international media. But I have often wondered: Will these innocent Syrians ever see justice?

December 8, 2024 – a date marked in history as the moment when their justice finally arrived.

Shaking off the past

“This time, they’re different,” a close friend told me after they came face-to-face with the fighters who ousted the Syrian regime. They assured the people that they were not seeking revenge – they had only come to liberate Syria from Assad.

This behavior brought some relief to the community and minorities, offering a glimmer of hope. Yet people remain cautious, their confidence tempered by fear and the weight of past experiences.

Although we have encountered credible reports of isolated incidents of violence and retaliation, these appear to remain isolated cases rather than a systemic pattern. Remarkably, the transition took place without the bloodbath that many feared.

The regime’s brutality has fueled the rise of radicalization and extremist groups like ISIS, a strategy it has used to label all opposition as terrorism. Extremist groups, which are foreign to Syrian society and culture, are a direct result of Assad’s brutality.

Among these groups is Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, which led the military operation that ended Assad’s rule.

Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Julani – born Ahmad al-Shara – has a controversial past, including a terrorist designation, links to Al Qaeda and a $10 million (€9.5) bounty on his head.

But since December 8, the same leader and fighters have shown signs of change. They seem to have shaken off the past. Al-Julani, who now uses his real name, told CNN: “A person in their 20s will have a different personality than someone in their 30s or 40s and certainly someone in their 50s. That’s human nature.”

He also ensured the safety of minorities and personal freedom – a positive change.

Al-Bashir’s commitment

Syria’s new interim leader, Mohammed al-Bashir, has announced that he will become interim prime minister until March 1.

He has pledged to unify the country, repatriate refugees and rebuild – but faces the challenge of limited funding.

Time will tell, but for now hope is cautiously lingering. It is essential, however, that we give them a chance.

In light of these developments, the US made initial contacts with HTS leaders. The UN and several countries are reconsidering their designation of the group as a terrorist organization, subject to certain conditions being met.

Arab countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have resumed their diplomatic missions in Damascus.

Perhaps Syrians need to witness genuine change from all sides and accept compromise to reclaim and save our country.

What’s next?

Nobody knows what’s next. Sirians are full of questions, uncertainty and cautious hope. We celebrate a new Syria, but what will it become? Only time will tell.

Syrians have clear expectations: free democratic elections, personal freedom, freedom of expression and the right to practice any religion or none. True freedom cannot exist without the liberation of women – their choices, bodies and rights must be respected.

In a diverse Syria, the imposition of Sharia law is not only unthinkable, it is impossible. The structure and its people simply won’t allow it. They will last. Syria is a country rich in diversity – home to different nationalities, religions and sects.

Most Muslims in Syria are moderate, and Islam there is different from the versions seen in Saudi Arabia or Iran. Syria’s strength lies in its diversity and moderation, with a robust secular movement and resilient civil society. We must draw strength from this foundation.

The new Syria must be built on the pillars of human rights, freedom, justice and equality for all. Without these foundations, resistance will persist and revolution will last.

As a friend recently told me, “We overthrew a dictator – we can overthrow any dictator.”