On December 8, 2024, Syrians across the country celebrated the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad following a rapid offensive by rebel groups, including radical Islamist factions. In cities like Damascus and Hama, jubilant crowds rejoiced at the end of over fifty years of autocratic rule initiated by Hafez al-Assad and perpetuated by his son. Images captured the momentous celebrations as citizens marked a significant turning point in Syria’s civil war, which has claimed nearly half a million lives since 2011.

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