Thousands throng Damascus' Umayyad Square in support of the new government

(20 Dec 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damascus, Syria - 20 December 2024
1. Various drone shots of crowd with fireworks ++MUTE++
2. Crowd chanting, holding flags
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Ahmed Mustafa, Syria returnee:
++STARTS IN SHOTS 1 AND 2++
“I have been away for 12 years outside Syria, now thank God we are able to come back to Syria without any fear. Thank God we got rid of the criminal and corrupted regime that was depriving us of the right to see our families.”
4. People holding banner in Arabic reading ”we reject any foreign conspiracy in the country”
5. Aerial shot of square ++MUTE++
6. People celebrating
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Namriman Asfari, rally attendee:
++STARTS ON SHOTS 5 AND 6++
“I am the happiest human being in the world, we got rid of the biggest oppressor, he destroyed and burned us, he destroyed our country, killed us, he made all kinds of oppression against us.”
8. People celebrating, holding flags
STORYLINE:
Thousands of Syrians rallied on the streets of Damascus in support of the new government and the fall of Bashar Assad's regime on Friday.

The crowds gathered at Umayyad Square waving the new regime's flag and chanting slogans against Assad.

Ahmed Mustafa, a Syrian national who returned to his country after 12 years said “now thank God we are able to come back to Syria without any fear."

On Thursday, secular parties had rallied calling for a modern civil state.

So far Syria’s transition has been surprisingly smooth, but less than two weeks have passed since Assad was ousted.

The country is home to diverse sects, and there is growing fear and uncertainty among minority groups, including Christians, regarding their rights and safety under the new ruler, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once an affiliate of al-Qaida.

AP Video by Ghaith Al-Sayed

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