Brandishing the flag of the opposition, dozens of Syrian refugees in Iraq’s Kurdistan area on Sunday celebrated the autumn of Bashar al-Assad, dubbing the Syrian president’s fall a victory for the “revolution”.
After almost 14 years of civil conflict of their house nation, Syrians gathered close to the centuries-old citadel within the Iraqi Kurdish capital Arbil, lots of them breaking out into the normal dabkeh dance on the streets.
“One, one, the Syrian individuals are one,” they shouted, elevating the opposition flag with three pink stars, AFP video confirmed.
Assad “exiled us, killed our folks and did every thing he might to us”, stated Ayman Assir, 24.
“He tried utilizing all means to finish this revolution, however thanks be to God, the revolution has gained after 14 years.”
Like many others, the younger man has been unable to return house for years “due to the obligatory navy service” there.
Regardless of working as an inside architect in Arbil throughout that point, he goals of taking “the primary airplane” again to his war-ravaged house nation.
On Sunday, Islamist-led insurgent teams introduced that they had “liberated” the capital and that Assad had fled after 24 years in energy.
– ‘Independence day’ –
Round 280,000 Syrians sought refuge in neighbouring Iraq, in keeping with the UN, with nearly all of them within the autonomous Kurdistan area.
They’re amongst thousands and thousands who fled Syria following the outbreak of civil conflict in 2011 after Assad’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests.
Although one girl she stated she was “proud of the autumn of the regime and full liberation” of the nation, she nonetheless spoke below a pseudonym, Umm sham, a observe adopted by many for many years in concern of reprisals in opposition to them or their households again house.
“If God wills it, we’ll all return and Syria will probably be rebuilt,” stated the 40-year-old girl. “Sufficient torment, oppression and executioners” of our youth, she added.
Hailing from Latakia, a stronghold of the Assad household on Syria’s coast, Salim Eido stated: “In the present day is an independence day.”
“Lastly the folks can breathe, after greater than 20 years of dictatorship and oppression.”
Salma Mustafa equally joined the festivities, however the 35-year-old Syrian Kurd nonetheless noticed a necessity for vigilance.
She hoped for “a authorities that offers rights to all Syrians, no matter ethnicity”.
She had only one want, “the collection of a superb chief for the nation.”
