On anniversary of Assad’s ouster, some parts of Syria go quiet

While Syrians in Damascus, Homs, Idlib, Aleppo and other parts of the country erupted in celebration to mark one year since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, other parts of the country fell quiet.

 The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) banned all public gatherings in parts of northeastern Syria ahead of the anniversary, with sources telling reporters that the group would not allow any celebrations on 7 and 8 December, citing "security threats", although many believe this is due to their hostile relations with the government in Damascus.

The PKK also announced that all public events, social activities and the use of fireworks would be banned.

A circular published by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed that the firing of live ammunition would be prohibited and that the decision was prompted due to the potential for "terrorist cells" that could "exploit the occasion to incite strife and undermine societal cohesion".

Syria’s interior ministry spokesperson, Noureddine al-Baba, decried the bans and remarks from SDF leaders as "failed statements".

He added that the liberation of Syria is something to be celebrated by all Syrians across the country.

"What right do they have to prevent Syrians from celebrating?" he said.

Commenting on the anniversary, Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the SDF, emphasised that the occasion marks an important moment and reminded everyone of their shared responsibility.

"The future of Syria requires the cooperation of all parties to maintain stability and contribute to building a state that fulfils the aspirations of its people," a statement from him read.

The Syrian Democratic Council on Monday said that the current government "has not been able to overcome the narrow mentality of factions and ideological differences and has continued to deal with matters with the same mentality that previously paralysed the state".

The group criticised President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government for not being able to "initiate a comprehensive national dialogue" and "form independent transitional institutions".

"The government needs to immediately begin a clear and binding democratic transition process…in order to ensure the formation of a legitimate transitional authority that represents all Syrians, the drafting of a democratic constitution based on a new social contract, the reform of state institutions, and the building of an independent judiciary," a statement from the council continued.

Local media reports also stated that Alawite spiritual leader Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal announced a five-day general strike from 8 to 12 December.

In a video statement, the spiritual leader referred to 8 December 2024 as "the fall of what remained of this country under the false label of liberty".

"Yet they want to force us to celebrate the replacement of tyranny with more tyranny. Oppression has increased, and the oppressed are being silenced, leading to increased affiliation with a dark extremist ideology," he added.

The leader said the current authorities "arrested, killed, slaughtered, kidnapped and burned", adding that they have been pressured to engage in celebrations "with blatant disregard for our wounds".
 

In many areas along the Syrian coast, members of the Alawite community shared messages of solidarity, echoing Sheikh Ghazal's calls for a strike, Al-Mayadeen reported.

In Suweida, which was marred by violence and killings in July, Syrians there are divided on whether to celebrate the fall of the regime, due to the alleged role of some rebel groups in sectarian massacres.

Overall, Syrians of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds appear to be thankful with the fall of the regime, with thousands of families still searching for news on their loved ones who have been disappeared in Assad detention facilities, including Sunnis, Alawites, Kurds, and Christians.

"As we celebrate this fantastic day, this day when hope finally returned, our thoughts must go to our people in Suweida, who have suffered so much this year, wrote Jihad Yazigi, editor-in-chief of The Syria Report.