DAMASCUS, March 15, (V7N) – Syrians gathered in Damascus on Saturday to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the 2011 uprising, marking the first public demonstration in Umayyad Square since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. The square, once a stronghold of Assad loyalists, was filled with protesters waving the newly adopted Syrian flag and holding banners declaring “the revolution has triumphed.”

The demonstrations, also taking place in Homs, Idlib, and Hama, come three months after Assad was ousted by an offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of HTS, has since been appointed interim president, overseeing a transitional government under a newly signed constitutional declaration. Critics argue the declaration centralizes power in Sharaa’s hands while failing to protect minority rights.

Despite celebrations in Damascus, concerns persist over recent violence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that at least 1,500 civilians, primarily Alawites, were killed in retaliatory attacks. The United Nations has called for an immediate halt to the violence, urging a transition that ensures justice, dignity, and peace for all Syrians.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council has also voiced opposition to the new constitutional framework, arguing it does not adequately represent Syria’s diverse population. With the country entering a five-year transition period, the future of governance remains uncertain as various factions push for influence in post-Assad Syria.

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