Thousands of jubilant Syrians rallied in Paris, Berlin and other European cities on Sunday to celebrate the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebel groups, putting an end to five decades of iron-fisted rule.
Crowds of people from France's Syrian diaspora braved the cold drizzle in Paris, chanting “Free Syria” and waving the flag of the Syrian opposition.
“I can breathe for the first time. It’s a special day,” a female student told RFI at Paris’s Place de la République.
“I hardly dared imagine we’d reach this point. We didn’t know if it would happen one day.”
Ares, a political refugee, recalled the years spent protesting on this same square.
“It reminds us of the first demos we held at the beginning of the war," he said. "We’re still struggling to believe what’s happened, but it leaves a path open for the Syrian people to win this war. That's a source of pride."
Russia, an Assad ally, said Bashar al-Assad left the country on Sunday after negotiations with rebel groups, and gave “instructions” to “transfer power peacefully”.
He and his family are reportedly in Moscow, a Kremlin source told Russian news agencies.
“It’s the first time we can say ‘Assad is no longer here’, I can’t even describe the joy,” said a Syrian woman, her voice hoarse from shouting. “But for once we can say Assad no longer rules over us. The Assad family is no more.”
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A desire to return
There were similar sentiments in Germany, home to more than a million Syrians – the largest diaspora in the European Union.
Most of them are asylum seekers who fled the civil war that began in 2011 when Assad crushed a peaceful, pro-democracy uprising.
More than half a million people have been killed since then and close to 12 million others forced to flee their homes.
"Finally we are free!" said a smiling Bassam Al-Hamada, among 5,000 people at a rally in Berlin.
Some flashed the "V" for victory sign, sang and shouted "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest!).
There was cautious hope they would soon be able to return to their home country.
"Like many Syrians, I would like to return to my country to help rebuild it," Bassam Al-Hamada, a social worker who arrived in Germany in early 2016, told France's AFP news agency.
His compatriot Sabreen, an architect, said that for now she planned to "help from Germany".
"They mainly need expertise and money. All of that, we can gather here for the moment."
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Uncertain future
Whether on demos in Paris, Berlin or other cities like Madrid, Athens and London, many Syrians insist Assad must be held accountable for killing and torturing his own people.
The Revivre association helping refugees and political prisoners in Syria, and that organised the demonstration in Paris, said there should be no impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria.
"This is the best guarantee for a future of peace” it said in a statement.
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Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel faction that spearheaded the offensive to topple Assad, has expressed a willingness to ensure a peaceful transition of power and work with Syrian minorities.
But the future remains deeply uncertain.
"Of course, we are worried about what the next step will be, what kind of government will be put in place. But for now, we are just happy,” Noura Bittar told Danish local television during a gathering in Copenhagen.
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France has said it welcomes the fall of Assad’s government “after more than 13 years of violent repression against its own people”.
The Foreign Ministry has called for a peaceful political transition that respects the diversity of the Syrian people and protects civilians and minorities.
Along with its international partners, France said it wants to help the Syrian people move towards “reconciliation and reconstruction,” and is ready to “play its full part” in the process.
