"This is the happiest day of my life," says Salim. Like thousands of Syrians gathered in a square in Istanbul's Fatih district, this hotel receptionist and his friends are celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which occurred early on the morning of December 8.
Syrian exiles in Istanbul gathered in the square after afternoon prayers. Some marched, others sang songs of victory. Many Syrian rebel flags fluttered above the crowd, in an atmosphere of universal jubilation, "as if we had won a final," said one participant cheerfully. Similar celebrations were held in other major cities such as Adana, Gaziantep and Sanliurfa.
All were celebrating the end of Bashar al-Assad's rule, which was the reason they fled Syria and sought refuge in Turkey, some of them more than a decade ago. "Wherever "We will come and get you," they chanted, addressing the deposed dictator, perched on the imposing statue of the sultan and his horse in the middle of the square. "He carried out so many massacres," says 18-year-old Osman. "I have been waiting for this moment for years. I am so happy. The boy left his country eleven years ago and has not seen his father since, who remains in Syria.
Like many of the three million Syrian exiles in Turkey, Osman works. He makes armchairs. He plans to return to his country next year and endlessly thanks the rebels for "taking down Bashar al-Assad." Still, the young man is aware of what awaits him back home. "In the neighborhood I come from, there are no houses, nothing. But we will rebuild everything," he says enthusiastically.
Behind him, a man holds a portrait of Abdul Baset al-Sarout, a footballer and one of the leading figures in the uprising against the Syrian dictator who was killed in 2019. There are also several Palestinian and Turkish flags among the many flags of the rebels, and even a portrait of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “I love Turkey very much, it gave me everything, a school, a house,” says Osman gratefully.
Some of them talk about returning to the country in the coming days. Kenan, for his part, prefers to remain cautious. “I am here to celebrate the victory of our revolution, but I will wait for elections and a legitimate government before I return,” he explains. He has full confidence in the rebels, “because they are the only ones who fought against Bashar al-Assad,” and even compares the movement to the “French Revolution.” Messages of victory are pouring in around him and on social media. “There will be work to do, but today I feel free,” smiles Salim, who plans to return “as early as next month.” His return will only be a matter of time. I BGNES
