Syrians commemorate anniversary of uprising for first time since Assad's fall

Syrian people commemorated the 14th anniversary of the revolution on Saturday, the first anniversary after the fall of the Assad government. On March 15, 2011, peaceful protests against the brutal rule of Bashar al-Assad marked the beginning of a large-scale uprising. This uprising quickly turned into a protracted civil war after the government attempted to violently suppress the protests.

This year, the commemoration took on a celebratory tone for the first time after Assad was overthrown on December 8. Demonstrations were held in Damascus' Umayyad Square, and similar events were organized in Homs, Idlib, and Hama. On Saturday morning, videos showed military helicopters dropping flowers and confetti over Umayyad Square as jubilant Syrians cheered below.

Demonstrators were also photographed posing with security personnel, waving the new Syrian flag, and revolutionary songs were played over loudspeakers. Hundreds of people gathered in the main square of Idlib, a former rebel stronghold, and raised the new Syrian flag as a symbol of their renewed hope.

However, amidst the revolution anniversary celebrations, a surge in sectarian violence in Syria's coastal region led to at least 800 extrajudicial executions. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), these killings were carried out by various parties to the conflict, including forces loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, government troops, groups loosely affiliated with the Syrian government, and individual gunmen.

Earlier this week, Syria's interim President Ahmed Shahla pledged to hold accountable those responsible for the deadly violence targeting the Alawite minority, to which Assad and his loyalists belong. Shahla blamed former military units loyal to Assad's brother Maher and an unspecified foreign power for the outbreak. However, he acknowledged that multiple groups had entered the Syrian coastal region during clashes with Assad loyalists, leading to the violations.

The Syrian government also faces challenges from Israel, which conducted airstrikes on the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday. The Israeli military stated that the attacks targeted a command center of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, allegedly used to direct "terror activity" against Israel. Middle East Eye could not independently verify this claim. Syrian state media reported that the strikes occurred in a residential area near the edge of Damascus.

The airstrikes followed a series of attacks last month on military bases inside Syria after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the need for the "complete demilitarization" of the country's south. Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, said on Friday: "It has now been 14 years since Syrians took to the streets in peaceful protest, demanding dignity, freedom and a better future."

He added: "The resilience of Syrians and their pursuit of justice, dignity and peace endures. They deserve a transition that matches this now." Pedersen called for "an immediate cessation of all violence and the protection of civilians."