Joy fills air in Damascus as Syrians mark end of a despised dynasty

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Syria yesterday to celebrate their newfound freedoms, five days after rebels toppled the 54-year-long Assad regime.

- Bethan McKernan William Christou

In the Umayyad mosque in the heart of Damascus, one of the holiest religious sites in the Islamic world, thousands of people gathered for the first Friday prayers since Bashar al-Assad fled the country on Sunday, which has now been named as the country's "freedom day."

In a short speech, rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani - using his birth name Ahmed al-Sharaa and wearing a double-breasted vest in place of his usual military fatigues - told Syrians they should take to the streets to celebrate. It was the group that al-Jolani heads - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - that led the 12-day rebel offensive that caused the Assad regime's downfall.

The green of the Syrian opposition flag was everywhere, draped around shoulders and painted on children's faces, as people sang famous revolutionary songs as well as chants of revenge. Shop owners were painting over the old, two-star regime flag that decorated store fronts.