Syria Marks One Year Since Assad’s Fall With Mass Rallies and Calls for Reconstruction

Overview

• In Damascus and other cities, large crowds marked the anniversary as interim president Ahmed al‑Sharaa urged a nationwide effort to rebuild and safeguard sovereignty, while the EU pledged support for a Syrian‑led, rights‑focused process.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed American support for a peaceful, prosperous Syria that protects minorities and credited steps taken during the transition.
• Officials and monitors describe a fractured security environment, with the Kurdish administration banning public gatherings over terrorist threats, recurrent sectarian violence involving Alawite and Druze communities, and continued Israeli operations inside Syria.
• Bashar al‑Assad remains under Russian protection in Moscow, a posture analysts view as leverage for the Kremlin as Syrian authorities pursue accountability for past crimes.
• Humanitarian needs and reconstruction demands remain vast, with aid groups reporting widespread damage to water and power networks and cost estimates of $250–$400 billion as millions still require assistance.