One year after sweeping into Damascus and ending the Assad family’s half-century dictatorial rule, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged Syrians on Monday to close ranks, rebuild broken institutions and "shape a future worthy of their sacrifices,” as the country marked the anniversary of a revolt that reshaped the Middle East’s political map.
The anniversary carried a mix of pride, apprehension and unfinished business.
Crowds flooded Umayyad Square for parades and celebrations, while soldiers lined the capital’s historic avenues – scenes unimaginable before al-Sharaa’s coalition launched its lightning offensive last November, culminating in the fall of Damascus on Dec. 8.
Symbolism, strategy
Al-Sharaa opened the day at the Umayyad Mosque, performing dawn prayers at the same site where he appeared in military fatigues a year ago – imagery his office has carefully preserved to signal continuity, resolve and personal responsibility for Syria’s new trajectory.
In remarks afterward, he praised the "courageous men and women” who pushed the offensive to victory and urged all Syrians, "whether in the capital, the countryside or the diaspora" to join in rebuilding a "stable, sovereign and just” Syria.
Officials close to the presidency say the anniversary speech was designed to mark a shift from revolutionary momentum to state-building – a transition al-Sharaa views as the defining challenge of his leadership.
Recalibrated foreign policy
Since taking power, al-Sharaa has overhauled Syria’s foreign relationships in ways few expected.
He has secured support from key regional players, including Türkiye and several Gulf Arab states, renewed dialogue with Western governments and advanced normalization efforts once considered politically impossible.
Diplomats say this repositioning – paired with a series of internal political reforms – has opened doors to sanctions relief, enabling Syria to reenter financial channels and begin repairing a paralysed economy.
But the recalibration came with consequences.
Former allies of the Assad era have cooled relations dramatically, particularly Russia and Iran, whose military and political influence once defined the old Syrian state.
Analysts warn that the transition has created a geopolitical vacuum still being tested by outside actors.
Fault lines beneath surface
Despite the mood of celebration in Damascus, Syria’s internal fractures remain deep and volatile.
Waves of violence have rattled parts of the Alawite and Druze heartlands, prompting renewed calls for local autonomy and feeding mistrust toward the new government.
In Suwayda, Druze activists have staged intermittent protests since deadly clashes in July, arguing that Damascus has not done enough to protect their communities.
Meanwhile, northern and eastern regions remain wary over the central government’s intentions.
The U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG, which governs much of northeast Syria, banned public gatherings over the anniversary weekend, saying security threats had grown in recent weeks.
Though the March integration agreement requires northeast Syrian institutions to merge with the central state by year’s end, little progress has been recorded.
The group's commander, Mazloum Abdi, however, reaffirmed his side’s commitment to "a democratic and decentralized Syria built on equality and justice.”
Adding to tensions, a prominent Alawite spiritual figure publicly urged his community to boycott Monday’s celebrations, protesting what he described as a "heavy-handed approach” by Damascus during the transition.
Transition still under construction
Al-Sharaa insists that Syria’s political transformation remains on track.
Over the weekend, at a governance forum in Qatar, he declared that "Syria is living its best times,” despite pockets of violence and promised justice for abuses committed during the war and in the volatile months that followed Assad’s fall.
The transitional period – now entering its second year – is set to last four more years.
During this time, the government plans to rewrite the constitution, restructure state institutions and oversee a referendum leading to national elections.
A temporary constitution, approved in March, grants al-Sharaa broad authority over this process.
A new parliament was formed in October through an indirect vote, though al-Sharaa has yet to appoint the full one-third of members allocated to presidential selection.
Opposition figures say this unresolved issue has slowed legislative momentum, especially in areas dealing with judicial reform and economic restructuring.
Reconstruction, returns, pressured economy
The human and economic toll of Syria’s war remains staggering.
Hundreds of thousands were killed, millions displaced, and entire cities reduced to rubble.
Yet there have been signs of return.
The U.N. refugee agency reported Monday that more than 1.2 million Syrian refugees and 1.9 million internally displaced people have gone home since Assad’s ouster.
Syria’s central bank governor told the Reuters NEXT conference that the return of roughly 1.5 million people has helped stabilize local markets and revive sectors long frozen by conflict.
But humanitarian need remains profound.
The U.N. said 16.5 million people will require aid in 2025 – one of the highest figures since the war began – and warned that declining global funding may limit food, shelter and medical assistance just as the country attempts to rebuild.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres framed the moment as a crossroads, calling the next phase "a chance to rebuild shattered communities and heal deep divisions,” and urging world powers not to disengage from Syria’s fragile transition.