Post-Assad Syria: citizens embrace newfound freedoms

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DAMASCUS — One week after the sudden fall of President Bashar Assad, Syria is in the midst of an unprecedented transformation.

Rebels who marched on the capital are now working to establish order, while citizens across Damascus are cautiously embracing newfound freedoms and vowing never to remain silent in the face of injustice again.

At Damascus International Airport, Maj. Hamza al-Ahmed, a rebel leader turned head of security, met with maintenance workers eager to voice long-suppressed grievances.

They spoke openly about favoritism under the Assad regime, threats of imprisonment, and the presence of hardcore loyalists among staff.

For many, like engineer Osama Najm, it was the first time they felt safe to express their concerns. “This is the first time we talk,” Najm declared.

In Damascus, reports of reprisal killings and sectarian violence have been minimal.

The insurgents, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have moved swiftly to prevent looting, enforce curfews, and restore a semblance of normalcy.

The group, which once governed the rebel enclave of Idlib, has replicated its governance structures in the capital.

However, challenges abound. The rebel police force, estimated at just 4,000 officers, is stretched thin, tasked with maintaining security in both Idlib and Damascus.

Courts remain non-operational, and reports of petty theft and street scuffles underscore the need for a functioning legal system.

The public is still adjusting to the presence of HTS fighters, many of whom hail from conservative and rural areas. While HTS leaders have renounced their al-Qaida roots and pledged pluralism and tolerance, some Syrians remain wary of the group’s Islamist background.

“The people we see on the streets, they don’t represent us,” said Hani Zia, a resident of Damascus originally from Daraa, the birthplace of Syria’s 2011 uprising. While he acknowledges the sacrifices of the fighters, Zia worries about potential abuses of power.

In the historic Christian quarter of Damascus, some restaurants have resumed serving alcohol openly, while others test the waters more discreetly.

At a café, men sipped beer as rebel patrols passed without incident. When a gunman harassed a liquor store, rebel police intervened, signaling a commitment to maintaining public order.

For Salem Hajjo, a theater teacher and veteran of the 2011 protests, the change is palpable. “We have never been this at ease,” he said. “The fear is gone. The rest is up to us.”

The fall of Assad has spurred a wave of emotion among Syrians, from grief over years of repression to cautious optimism about the future.

Tens of thousands have flocked to Assad’s notorious prisons, like Saydnaya, to search for loved ones who disappeared years ago. Rebels have joined these searches, sharing the pain of a society scarred by years of brutality.

Revolutionary symbols now dominate the streets, with flags and posters commemorating activists who were killed under Assad.

State media, once a mouthpiece for the regime, now broadcasts revolutionary songs and statements from the insurgent-led transitional government.

The new administration has urged Syrians to return to work and called on refugees to come home to help rebuild the nation.

Plans to reform the security forces include vetting personnel to exclude individuals implicated in atrocities.

While produce prices have dropped as merchants no longer pay hefty customs fees and bribes, disruptions in fuel distribution have caused widespread power outages and soaring transportation costs.

At the airport, workers are slowly cleaning up the wreckage left behind, with officials eager to reopen the facility to restore critical services.

For Murad, a cleaner earning the equivalent of $15 a month to support six children, the task of rebuilding is monumental. “We need a long time to clean this up,” he said.

As Damascus adjusts to its new reality, Syrians are determined to ensure their voices are heard in shaping the country’s future. While fears remain about the intentions and capabilities of the new leadership, the prevailing sentiment in the capital is one of cautious hope.

“The new path will have challenges,” said al-Ahmed at the airport. “But Syria is for all, and we all have to cooperate.” — Agencies