ISTANBUL

Arab countries extended congratulations on Monday to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the country’s Liberation Day, marking one year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Saudi Arabia’s official SPA news agency said King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent cables of congratulations to Sharaa.

They conveyed “sincere congratulations and best wishes of continued health and happiness” to the Syrian president, and further wished “greater security and stability” for Syria and its people, SPA reported.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan also sent congratulatory messages to Sharaa on the occasion.

The Qatari Embassy in Damascus posted a message on the US social media company X saying: “Blessings from the heart to Syria, which has always been and remains in our hearts - Syria that, on this day, rejoiced and made Arabs, Muslims and all free people of the world rejoice with its freedom and deliverance, beginning a new era of recovery and rebuilding.”

The embassy added that it was honored to congratulate the Syrian people and government, praying that God protect the country and sustain peace and stability.

In a post on X, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry congratulated Syria “on the first anniversary of Liberation Day.”

A similar congratulatory message came from Lebanon.

“On the anniversary of Syria’s launch into freedom, a salute of solidarity. We look forward to the best possible Lebanese-Syrian relations,” Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said on X.

Nationwide celebrations

Early Monday, mosques across Syria held “victory chants” marking the first anniversary of Assad’s fall, following a call by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, according to official statements.

Cities and provinces, including Damascus, its countryside, Daraa, Hama, Aleppo, Idlib, and Latakia - saw military parades with large public participation.

Sharaa performed dawn prayers at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and said afterward, "From its north to its south, and from its east to its west, God willing, we will restore Syria strong again with a rebuilding worthy of its present and its past – a rebuilding worthy of Syria’s ancient heritage.”

For days, Syrians across the country have been marking their liberation from Assad’s rule through commemorations of the “Deterrence of Aggression” battle, which began Nov. 27, 2024 in Aleppo before opposition forces reached Damascus 11 days later.

Many Syrians view Assad’s overthrow on Dec. 8, 2024, as the end of a long era of brutal repression marked by widespread violations against civilians, especially over 14 years of uprising.