In brief
Aleppo witnesses a mix of jubilation and trepidation as citizens return to assess their changed city after the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In the aftermath of a dramatic shift in power, Aleppo is experiencing a wave of emotions as residents who fled the Syrian civil war return to their hometown. The removal of the Assad regime has sparked celebrations, yet feelings of uncertainty linger as many confront what remains of their former lives. Recent days have seen a striking transformation in Aleppo, where symbols of Assad's authority have either been dismantled or destroyed. One such statue, which depicted Basel al-Assad, the late brother of President Bashar al-Assad, has been all but reduced to rubble, with only the horse remaining intact. Young locals have taken to the remains, climbing atop the fallen monument while flashing victory signs.As news of the regime's ousting circulated, exiled residents made their way back to the city from neighboring Turkey and safe havens further afield. Their return comes more than a week after rebel forces launched a swift and decisive operation that culminated in Assad's removal from power. Many individuals are now visiting neighborhoods that, in some instances, no longer exist, attempting to reclaim a sense of normalcy in their lives.Among the returnees is Amar Sabir, a 23-year-old woman who fled Aleppo nearly ten years ago. Now married with two children in Turkey, Sabir never relinquished hope of returning to the city of her youth, and last Sunday, her dream became a reality. She and countless others are now faced with the dual challenge of rekindling history while navigating an uncertain future in a city marked by the scars of war.
