Syria: ‘No-one slept’ – how news of the fall of Bashar al-Assad spread | Global News Avenue

Residents of Damascus said they were anxiously awaiting news of what happened overnight in the Syrian capital.

Hours after reports emerged that rebels were getting closer, the army announced the “liberation” of Damascus from longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in the early hours of Sunday.

Unconfirmed videos circulating on social media showed people cheering in the streets to welcome rebel fighters and prisoners released from the notorious Saidnaya prison.

“No one slept in Syria last night…No Syrians slept abroad,” said Rania Kataf, the head of the Damascus Facebook page.

“The entire community is on their phones waiting for final word.

“How do I feel? Overwhelmed… We all feel like we’ve been underwater, literally, for thirteen years and we’re all holding our breath.

“And I know there are a lot of people older than me who have been through a lot.”

She said she had “mixed feelings” since the rebel group began their offensive, but she was no longer afraid.

She said that in the past she was “afraid to share her views, or even give likes or care to those in the opposition.”

Another Damascus resident, who asked not to be named, told the BBC: “For the first time, there is a real sense of freedom.”

He described celebrations in the streets and in Umayyad Square, a landmark in central Damascus and home to key government institutions such as the Ministry of Defense and the Syrian Armed Forces.

“In the middle of Umayyad Square, people were celebrating in a very peaceful way. They were setting off fireworks. Yes, we heard some gunshots, but mostly fireworks,” the resident said.

“What we feel is very similar to what we felt when the revolution started in 2011. This is a continuation of the dream that started that year.”

He said Syrians are fearful and worried about the future, but “today, all Syrian people will just celebrate.”

Yazan Al Amari runs a small phone shop in Deraa, a city south of Damascus that militias affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have taken control of.

He told the BBC he would travel to the Syrian capital today with friends to celebrate.

“When we woke up to the news, we couldn’t understand it or fully grasp it at first. People are so afraid of rumours.

“But when we realized it was actually real, we got in the car and now we’re heading to Damascus to celebrate.”

“People feel like they’re in a dream,” he said.

“You could see people crying. We are very scared to this day.”

Amari said it was the first time in years he was able to talk freely.

“Before I couldn’t leave my town and move around freely. But now, I can go wherever I want,” he said.

Additional reporting by Wietske Burema