The Fall of Assad: A Moment to Celebrate Syria’s New Dawn of Liberation

Written by Reine Elle Vervaine Radwan, and Edited by Vedika Pillai, News Editor of the Graduate Press

As Syrians, we grew up under the shadow of the Assad regime—a reality we thought would last forever. For fifty years, the name Assad dictated the rhythm of our lives, the extent of our freedoms, and even the boundaries of our dreams. We learned to suppress our hopes, fearing the walls had ears.

Now, in a stunning and unexpected turn of events, that shadow has disappeared. The regime’s collapse—sudden, unimaginable—has left us reeling with a mixture of emotions we struggle to articulate. When the news broke, conversations were filled with disbelief. “None of us could believe it,” became a refrain repeated from Damascus, Homs, Aleppo to my home in Switzerland. 

I asked a dear friend of mine “How are you? Mabrouk!!” (congratulations) as I woke up from my own dream. She answered: “I feel free”. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. 

For some, the moment felt like a waking dream; for others, it was a plunge into the unknown. For a fleeting instant, we were united not by clarity, but by astonishment. The world, too, watched in awe as one of the most enduring autocracies of our time crumbled overnight. While global opinion remains divided—some arguing that Assad provided “stability” to the region—Syrians view this as a victory for us, by us. To outsiders, particularly in the West, a Syria liberated by Syrians may seem inconceivable, challenging the narrative that freedom for Syria could only come through foreign intervention.

For Syrians, this moment is monumental—but it is also complicated. What does this victory mean for Syria, its people, and its future?

There is unbridled joy in seeing the end of a regime that ruled through fear, suppression, and brutality. For decades, voices were silenced, dissent was crushed, and dreams of a freer Syria were deferred. Today, there is hope where once there was none—a sense that, finally, we have a chance to rebuild on our terms.

Yet happiness is tempered with anxiety. The collapse of such a deeply entrenched system leaves a vacuum, and history teaches us that transitions can be perilous. We fear the uncertainties ahead power struggles, foreign interference, or the resurgence of extremist factions. These concerns are real, and they weigh heavily on our hearts.

We cannot let fear overshadow the significance of this moment. There is beauty in seeing Syrians celebrate what once seemed impossible—a victory for those who endured, resisted, and dreamed of a brighter future. For the first time in fifty years, the future feels within our grasp. The road ahead will be long and challenging, but for now, we embrace this fleeting moment of unity and hope. After decades of darkness, even the smallest spark of light feels like a revolution.

The Fall of a Tyranny

The Assad family’s rule began in 1970 when Hafez al-Assad, a military officer, seized power through a coup, establishing an authoritarian regime marked by fear and brutality. His rule was defined by events like the 1982 Hama Massacre, where a military crackdown on an Islamist uprising left tens of thousands dead and a city in ruins over the span of just 3 weeks. This legacy of oppression was passed to his son, Bashar al-Assad, in 2000. 

Under Bashar, the regime maintained control through secret intelligence services like the mukhabarat and shabiha, supported by a vast network of informants. Syrians lived in constant fear, encapsulated by the phrase, “the walls have ears,” which symbolised the pervasive paranoia of a regime that silenced dissent.

In 2011, inspired by the Arab Spring, peaceful protests across Syria called for political freedoms and an end to corruption. The regime’s violent response ignited a civil war. Barrel bombs, chemical weapons, and starvation sieges became hallmarks of Assad’s strategy to crush opposition. Amid the chaos, extremist groups like ISIS emerged, exploiting the power vacuum. Assad clung to power through foreign backing, with Iran providing ground forces and funding, and Russia’s 2015 military intervention devastating rebel-held areas. Yet, by 2024, the regime’s grip began to unravel. Uprisings in Aleppo and elsewhere triggered military defections, while Iran and Russia, weakened by internal and external conflicts, scaled back their support.

The rapid collapse revealed the extent of Assad’s atrocities, from the horrors of Saydnaya Prison to secret detention centres. Syrians, long silenced, now speak openly of the fear and suffering they endured. The fall of the Assad regime marks not only the end of a brutal era but also the start of a reckoning for the countless lives it shattered.

How Did Assad Fall So Quickly?

The sudden collapse of Assad’s regime has left many grappling with how a seemingly entrenched system unraveled so quickly. A combination of internal failures, military defeats, and shifting international dynamics contributed to its rapid demise.

Internally, decades of corruption, economic mismanagement, and systemic oppression had hollowed out the regime. Syria’s economy was in ruins, with rampant inflation and growing poverty fueling widespread resentment. Even loyalists began to lose faith as the regime’s legitimacy crumbled. The military, plagued by defections and declining morale, could no longer sustain its organisational structure.

Militarily, a well-coordinated offensive led by opposition forces in Idlib gained ground swiftly. Soldiers deserted en masse, unwilling to fight for a collapsing government. Efforts to restore loyalty, including a last-minute 50% wage hike for soldiers, fell flat as public and military confidence eroded.

On the international stage, Assad’s key backers, Russia and Iran, faced mounting challenges. Russia, bogged down in Ukraine, and Iran, weakened internally, reduced their support. Simultaneously, Israel’s strikes on Iranian supply routes into Syria further destabilised Assad’s allies.

However, it is important to remember that this offensive did not emerge spontaneously. It was the result of years of deliberate planning in Idlib, where the leading rebel faction, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), transitioned from a non-state armed group to a political entity. Through the creation of its ‘Salvation Government,’ HTS attempted to govern an overcrowded region in northwest Syria, housing over 2 million internally displaced people and 3 million in total.

While international geopolitical shifts played a role, the opposition’s long-term strategy in Idlib and Syrians’ unwavering determination to resist oppression proved decisive, exposing the regime’s fragility and shattering the illusion of its invincibility. Yet, beyond geopolitical analysis, it is vital to acknowledge the human cost of this conflict. For decades, Syrians endured unimaginable suffering, and the regime’s fall marks both profound grief and the beginning of collective healing. This victory is not just political; it is deeply emotional, carrying the weight of loss, resilience, and hope. As Syrians, we must grieve, celebrate, and honour the strength of those who fought and endured. Beyond headlines and analysis, this is a story of human triumph and the enduring spirit of a people who refused to surrender their fight for freedom.

Carving Out a Moment to Celebrate

The scenes in Damascus were surreal—crowds tearing down Assad’s portraits, strangers embracing, and chants of “Syria is free” echoing through the city. For Syrians, this moment marks the end of decades of fear and repression under the Assad regime, evoking complex emotions: joy for newfound freedom, grief for those lost, anxiety for the missing, and hope for justice.

The fall of Assad is a historic turning point, ending one of the region’s most enduring authoritarian regimes and highlighting the resilience of a people who defied overwhelming oppression. It’s a transformative moment for Syrians as it offers a chance to imagine a future built on unity, dignity, and justice—a stark departure from fifty years of oppression. 

The Path Ahead

As Syrians celebrate liberation, the challenges of rebuilding loom large. The sudden collapse of the Assad regime has left a power vacuum, raising concerns about factional violence and competing political interests. The humanitarian crisis remains staggering: millions of refugees and internally displaced persons need urgent support, and much of the country’s infrastructure—hospitals, schools, and homes—lies in ruins after years of Russian-backed bombings of the majority of the country over the past decade. 

The international community’s response is critical. European countries like Austria have already halted asylum processes, offering financial incentives for refugees to return. While some Syrians may visit their families for the first time in years, many fear it is still too early to return permanently without a stable, transitional democratic process.

Key uncertainties also persist. The status of Kurds in the northeast, the handling of ISIS fighters in detention camps, and the continued presence of foreign forces—including U.S., Russia, Iran, and Israel—will all shape Syria’s future. The world must remain engaged to ensure these dynamics do not destabilise the fragile liberation process.

Despite these challenges, this moment reflects the resilience of Syrians, who have endured unimaginable hardship yet emerged determined to reclaim their future. The road ahead is long, but Syrians are prepared to navigate it with unity and resolve. For the first time in fifty years, many can wake up without the weight of fear. “We are free”—a simple yet profound statement—captures a hope once thought impossible, as Syrians finally rise without the burden they have carried since birth.