Syria’s new militant leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani called for nationwide celebrations Friday to mark “the victory of the revolution,” as his group solidifies control following the sudden collapse of the Assad family’s 50-year rule.
“I would like to congratulate the great Syrian people on the victory of the blessed revolution and I call on them to go to the streets to express their joy,” said Golani, now using his birth name Ahmed al-Sharaa, ahead of planned Friday prayers at Damascus’s historic Umayyad Mosque.
The dramatic change has prompted Syrians to search prisons, hospitals, and morgues for relatives who disappeared during Assad’s regime. “I turned the world upside down looking,” said Abu Mohammed, searching for three missing relatives at Damascus’s Mazzeh air base. “But I didn’t find anything at all. We just want a hint of where they were, one percent.”
The interim government, led by Golani’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), announced a three-month transition period with the constitution and parliament suspended. Spokesman Obaida Arnaout promised a judicial committee to review the constitution and pledged “rule of law,” while emphasizing protections for all Syrians’ rights.
G7 leaders, set to meet virtually Friday, expressed readiness to support transition to an “inclusive and non-sectarian” government while emphasizing accountability for the Assad regime’s actions. The new leadership has already offered cooperation with Washington in locating missing Americans, including journalist Austin Tice, while confirming US citizen Travis Timmerman has been found alive.
The regime change has sparked celebrations across Syria, including in the Druze-majority city of Sweida. “Our joy is indescribable,” said Haitham Hudeifa, 54. “Every province is celebrating this great victory.”
