DAMASCUS / ISTANBUL

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa congratulated the Syrian people on Thursday on the first anniversary of the launch of a military operation that led to the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, inviting citizens to celebrate what he called a “historic victory.”

In a statement published on the presidency’s social media account, Sharaa described the day as “the beginning of the struggle that liberated all of Syria” and urged the public to celebrate the anniversary with enthusiasm.

“Dear people of Syria, today we mark the anniversary of the great deterrence war in which the former regime, with all its oppressive structures, was overthrown and our country was freed from its chains,” he said.

Calling on all segments of society, regardless of ethnic or religious differences, to gather in public squares, Sharaa urged Syrians to “demonstrate their commitment to the great struggle for freedom and show strong national unity.”

“On this great occasion, I invite all components of the Syrian people to take to the squares and streets to express the joy of this great victory and to demonstrate national solidarity, national unity, the territorial integrity of Syria, and the unity of the homeland. Long live free Syria," he added.

Opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a major offensive from Idlib into Aleppo province, which was under the control of the Assad regime at the time. The surprise operation resulted in the rapid capture of Aleppo and ultimately the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024.