Overview
- Tens of thousands joined state-organized celebrations in Damascus and other cities featuring military parades, helicopter and paratrooper displays, parapente flyovers, and concerts.
- Transitional leader Ahmed al Sharaa addressed the nation from the Umayyad Mosque, pledging reconstruction and calling for unity before presiding over a main parade on the Mezze highway.
- UN deputy special envoy Najat Rochdi urged concrete steps to locate the missing and to facilitate dignified returns for refugees, emphasizing support and answers for affected families.
- Interior Minister Anas Jatab hailed the anniversary as a victory in messages on X and urged citizens to shoulder national responsibilities in the rebuilding drive.
- Reporting notes Al Sharaa’s leadership ties to HTS and recent diplomatic outreach, including a November visit to Washington, as Syria continues to face intercommunal violence, Israeli strikes, tensions with Kurdish-led forces, and steep reconstruction costs.